ISSUE 12

A Conversation with Ivana & Alex

What are we thankful for this year? Celebrating three years of Rhythm Zero and one year of our newsletter! To mark these milestones, we took a walk through Chinatown with Alex and Ivana to talk about their journey and their vision for what comes next.

What inspired your move from Serbia to New York?

“Alex and I came to New York by what felt like luck, or maybe a bit of destiny. We each won the green card lottery, Alex in 2017 and me in 2018. New York had always felt like a dream, but we never imagined actually living here.”

How did those early days in NYC shape the foundation of Rhythm Zero?

“When we arrived, we spent our days in galleries and museums, soaking in everything. We sat for hours in cafés, noticing every detail: flipping plates over to see who made them, photographing chairs, studying design, texture, lighting, and atmosphere.

Those early days became the foundation for Rhythm Zero. New York shaped our eye and our desire to create a space where design and coffee meet with intention. Our European background added the slower café rituals we grew up with, and that blend of New York energy and European sensibility became the core of what Rhythm Zero is.”

What’s one small decision you made early on that ended up defining more than you expected?

“Selling our furniture and redesigning the layout was a small decision that ended up shaping everything. It started because I wasn’t fully satisfied with the space, but it quickly became part of our identity.”

What do you hope the next few years look like for the café and the community around it?

“We hope to keep the same care, quality, and feeling that define Rhythm Zero. That will never change. At the same time, we hope to open a few more cafés, each with its own style and interpretation of the Rhythm Zero spirit. I see us growing intentionally, choosing collaborations thoughtfully, and expanding in a way that always feels true to who we are.”