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That’s the essential question that Covenant House alum Dom Gervasi seeks to answer in his tour series, Made in Brooklyn Tours. On his tour of Brooklyn neighborhood DUMBO, Dom blends the history of the neighborhood with an up-to-the-minute look into who’s “makin’ it” in DUMBO. 

The tour begins with a dive into the history of the neighborhood, from old signs advertising artist lofts for rent stamped right into the side of buildings, to edifices towering over the canyons of Brooklyn, a silent reminder of the industrial past of the neighborhood. Though they might be repurposed, Dom’s keen eye picks out every hidden detail on the buildings, showing the remnants of what used to be a factory, a grocer, a train yard, or a contentious coffee roaster. Dom’s masterful storytelling brings to life not only the beautiful industrial history of the neighborhood, but the culture and attitudes of the people who worked in it. Every corner has a story, and Dom knows them all.

But that’s only half the tour, one that you can read about in any of the many books Dom can recommend to you. The Made in Brooklyn Tour lives up its name with a personal look into what’s made in Brooklyn today. As you walk through the neighborhood, Dom darts into storefronts and buildings, switching from narrating the history of the industrialists of the past to introducing the makers and artists of Brooklyn today. On his tour, Dom makes sure all of his guests meet the weavers, fashion designers, furniture makers, chocolatiers, and so many others who carry on the industrial heritage of Brooklyn today. His tour guests even get to try their hand at making some things themselves!

But such a great experience in Brooklyn didn’t come from nowhere. Dom Gervasi is a proud member of the Covenant House alumni community. In his own words “I came to Covenant House when I was 17 years old, and I felt completely out of my world. I was supported and felt safe. For me, Covenant House became a stepping stone toward a better life. I went to college, worked professionally, and then started my own business.” In his time working for communications equipment manufacturers, Dom describes how “I got involved in the entire industrial process, from design to testing and production, and it sparked in me a question: what are we making in Brooklyn?” He knew that with his experience in manufacturing, he could let people into that world, and show them history merging with the present day through the lens of what’s being made in his hometown.

But what does Dom make? 

“I’m in the tourism industry, we make happiness,” he said. 

So much of Dom’s work comes from a passion for showing people all the amazing things going down in Brooklyn. “Brooklyn has a great history of entrepreneurs, great people, a source of the middle class that has been decimated. Urban manufacturing should be part of any thriving city. It can get people into the workforce without college degrees. Good, long-term jobs in food manufacturing, fashion, and tons of places. And we can do it all in Brooklyn. We make high quality things in Brooklyn, and I love to watch the people and businesses that make them grow over the years. It’s wonderful.”

At Covenant House, we know one more wonderful thing that’s making it happen in Brooklyn: Dom Gervasi and Made In Brooklyn Tours. 

If you’re a former resident of any of our Covenant House sites and you’d like to learn more or join our alumni community to meet people like Dom, check out our alumni community page and see stories about our other amazing alumni.

If you want to learn more about Made In Brooklyn Tours, check out Dom's website for more info. www.madeinbrooklyntours.com