These café owners started a shop with credit cards and a $30,000 loan. They say it's worth it to run a business in NYC.

Ilia Penzin and Liliia Penzina at their café, T.O.L.K., in Bushwick. Paola Chapdelaine for BI Ilia Penzin and Liliia Penzina run T.O.L.K., a café in Bushwick, NYC, facing financial hurdles. T.O.L.K., opened in 2025, serves as both a coffee shop and art gallery, promoting local artists. Despite financial struggles, Penzin and Penzina remain hopeful, aiming to expand their NYC business. Ilia Penzin and Liliia Penzina call their café and art gallery their baby. "A big baby," Penzina said,…