For every East Village business that’s opening or closing, dozens are quietly making it. Here’s one of them: Gizmo.

Shira Levine Hossein Amid

The notion of describing sewing accessories as “notions” is a rather antiquated one. But notions, like buttons, snaps, trimmings, seam rippers and collar-stays, are exactly what Hossein Amid has been selling to the East Village’s artists, D.I.Y. designers, and drag queens for 22 years. The trimmings and fabrics at his First Avenue shop, Gizmo, are particularly popular among casual costume designers. “Every year, Halloween is a big, busy time for me,” Mr. Amid told The Local. But how does Gizmo manage to make it the rest of the year?

You must really love to sew.

Repairing this stuff is what I like doing. I have a mechanical background from when I lived in Iran. When we first opened in 1990, my wife did all the sewing, now she doesn’t. My work is helping people find what they need and repairing sewing machines.

Shira Levine

Are there enough people still using sewing machines to sustain a business?

There are, but not as many as there used to be. I’ve been here a long time. Business is slow.

Why do you think your business is still standing here?

I don’t know. A family fabric shop on the block [East Village Fabric] just went out of business. Now I am selling some of their stuff. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I like to be here and I get to be my own boss. I’ve known many of my customers for years and years. They need me as much as I need them. If I close a lot of people who rely on me will be very upset. There are a lot people who need just one thing of something and would have to buy 1,000 of them to get it. I have the sources in New York and in China. For some businesses, I am a middleman.

Shira Levine Ribbons at Gizmo.

How much money do your customers typically spend?

It’s better for me to do sewing machine repair. I charge $65 for a repair. It takes me maybe a week. People come in for a button and spend 20 cents to $1.50 on a button. A spool of thread is $2.50 and fabric and trimmings depend but can be $3 and up.

You must have great rent to be in business selling affordable things all these years.

My rent is a lot and it keeps getting higher. I can’t tell you how high it is! In 1990 I was paying one fourth what I pay now. I’m too old to start a new business. I know this business well and have been doing it a very long time so I am going to try to keep it. I have had to change the prices of things a little bit because the distributors have changed their prices. If I could find a more affordable place, I would go there. It is the real estate taxes that kill me. I hope that they do something about the real estate tax because my kind of business doesn’t make that kind of money.

Shira Levine

Do any notable designers shop here?

It was much better before the neighborhood changed. This was the neighborhood where all the designers lived and they all came to me. Most of them have moved away but now I have a new generation of fashion students from F.I.T. and N.Y.U. coming in. The drag queens in the neighborhood are good customers too. We sell lots of boas, lots of feathers.

While in here for 30 minutes I have seen a father and infant son, fashion students, a corporate professional, a local artist, and the owner of the store that just went out of business on your block all come in. I was struck by how different they all are and how much they really enjoy being here and speaking with you. What do you think it is about you and your shop?

This is where regular, local people, not rich artists come to hang out, talk, share ideas and buy sewing and decorative notions. I have things that people can’t find anymore. You know, some people don’t know my name all these years. They call me Mr. Gizmo. I saw on Yelp someone called me “Sewing Machine Man Extraordinaire.”