Sweetgreen — the salad spot with a cult following for its fresh, seasonal, and locally-sourced meals — has grown considerably over the past six years. Armed with $75.5 million in venture capital and 43 salad chains all over the US, it doesn’t look like it’ll be slowing down anytime soon.
Sweetgreen’s plans to rapidly expand its presence in New York City led two of its three cofounders to set up an official home base in Manhattan. Here is a look inside.
Jon Neman and Nathaniel Ru — who already have homes in Washington, DC and Los Angeles — chose a bright, cheerful SoHo loft to stay in when they’re visiting New York on business.
To help design their new home, Neman and Ru called on Homepolish, a startup that has designed spaces for other startups and homeowners.
Homepolish founder Noa Santos designed the space, drawing inspiration from pieces Neman and Ru already owned. “The living room rug was from Jon’s family, and it served as a starting point for the living room color palette,” Santos told Business Insider.
Claire Esparros/Homepolish
Santos wanted to create a dining area that felt separated from the living room — a challenge given the open floor plan.
Claire Esparros/Homepolish
To Santos, the vibe the of the apartment is “California meets Lower East Side.”
Claire Esparros/Homepolish
“Jon and Nate wanted a home that felt clean and modern in keeping with the style of the loft itself, but not lacking in warmth,” Santos said.
Claire Esparros/Homepolish
“Sweetgreen provided a great reference point for understanding Jon and Nate’s tastes,” Santos said. “The three cofounders have managed to create a business that feels modern and fresh without losing the familiar comfort of great food.”
Claire Esparros/Homepolish
“We worked with a few artist friends to choose pieces that we really love,” Neman told Bloomberg in a recent interview.
Claire Esparros/Homepolish
Santos was careful not to create a typical “bachelor pad.” “Do two bachelors live there? Yes,” he said. “But the design itself is no different than if they weren’t bachelors.”
Claire Esparros/Homepolish
In Ru’s room, you’ll see a stylish Eames chair. It costs $4,859 from Design Within Reach.
Claire Esparros/Homepolish
Santos had only positive things to say about the two cofounders and their collaboration on the design. “They’ve done it better than most married couples, I think. They’re both in complete agreement on most of the pieces we picked,” he told Bloomberg.
Claire Esparros/Homepolish
The living room windows are Santos’ favorite part of the entire loft. “You should never underestimate the power of natural light in a space,” he said.
Claire Esparros/Homepolish