Urban Cowboy — Brooklyn
Opened in 2014 by Jersey Banks and Lyon Porter, Urban Cowboy Brooklyn started out as a passion project to what its owners dubbed the “mind-numbing pace of Manhattan,” and soon became a fully functional bed and breakfast that means as much to Brooklyn as Brooklyn means to it. The Brooklyn locale boasts an eclectic, cool, and downtown vibe. Patterned throws, velvet-tufted furniture, and antique fixtures abound. The bed and breakfast offers a second home for eclectic tchotchkes — and a breath of fresh air from the fast-paced New York lifestyle.
In an interview with Travel and Leisure, Lyon said: “I built my dream house and opened it up to the public, to my friends, for all to enjoy. This type of shared space—something that isn’t a bar or restaurant, yet isn’t someone’s home either—was the heartbeat of our ethos. The Cowboy lifestyle can be nomadic, it can be hard on the road and when one comes home from a long journey, they need a place to rest their bones. A place that is comfortable and warm; a bed that comes with breakfast and a hot tub.” Urban Cowboy is all about shared spaces that feel earthy, encouraging, and hip — however, the hotel does its best not to buy into the “hipster” trend that’s become so synonymous with Williamsburg. In an interview with NY Mag, Lyon said: “While I do believe we’re extremely hip, I’ll respectfully leave out the –ster. People are looking for an authentic Brooklyn aesthetic and vibe. If this encapsulates what a traveler from Sweden who wants to feel like a hipster for a moment likes, then I’m happy to be a hipster. If I’m the hipster cowboy, then so be it.”
