Hampton's Homegrown Talent Ignites Entrepreneurial Wave with Trio of Thriving Businesses

The east end of Long Island has long been the foundation for visionaries and entrepreneurs. Take Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol, for example, who added to the wave of city-based artists who would venture out to what was then the country, to escape the hustle and bustle of city living. F. Scott Fitzgerald used the twin forks of Long Island as the setting for his American classic, The Great Gatsby, and you can still find traces of what Fitzgerald named West Egg and East Egg in our very own North and South Forks.

Decades since these visionaries have left footprints on the shores of our local beaches, that same ambitious and radical spirit is still very much alive in those that have called the east end of Long Island home for their entire lives.

Artur Barbosa and Tyler Garcia, both graduates of Southampton High School have lived in Southampton for the majority of their lives. They started their business, Hampton Car Spa, a car wash and detailing service that comes to you in the convenience of your own driveway, initially as a hobby. Barbosa says, “We then began offering this service to friends and family,” noting that, “there are a ton of high end luxury cars in the area we grew up in so it just seemed like a great opportunity to offer a service we’d enjoy doing.” The pair’s advice for others planning to start their own company lies in networking, declaring that it is “essential for your business to grow, even if it’s just you going door to door.”

Your next car wash appointment can be made in the comfort of your driveway via direct message on Instagram at @Hamptoncarspa.

Delaney Jones and Mallory Royer started their business, Ground + Gather, an experimental private Hampton’s event company that brings elevated yoga and dining experiences to the comfort of your home, in 2022. The pair met each other at the College of Charleston in 2015 and became instant friends. Delaney grew up in Southampton and graduated Southampton High School in 2015, while Mallory grew up in Hershey, PA but has been visiting The Hamptons for close to a decade. They shared, “We’ve always talked about starting a business together and this idea came together really naturally because it’s essentially an extension of who we are. Mallory has always loved cooking and connecting with people through food, and Delaney has always been passionate about yoga and mindfulness.” The pair gave a lot of great advice for entrepreneurs who are just starting out but perhaps the most vital of it all was simply put as, “When you lead with what really matters and inspires you, it’ll show.”

You can book your next Ground + Gather event on their website, groundandgather.com.

2015 Pierson High School graduate of the class of 2015 and Sag Harbor Local, Annabel Tiger DeGroot, held the grand opening of her clothing store, Annabel The Shop, in early May. Her store can be found on Main Street, Sag Harbor–its shelves filled with bright and trendy knits, eclectic household decor, accessories for every outfit, and a whole lot of good vibes. DeGroot explains the inspiration for Annabel The Shop came from necessity stating, “I had trouble finding places to shop out here that carried the brands my friends and I love and usually shop online.” Annabel The Shop aims to carry sustainable, or women owned brands that come with an affordable price tag. The best part of starting her own boutique, she says, has been creating “a little piece of Sag Harbor that is [her] vision.” DeGroot’s advice to others is to “trust your own taste and ideas, and don’t lose that, but to accept help and feedback and constructive criticism!”