L&M BUILDING & PLUMBING SUPPLY INC.

On Lombardy Street, near Third Avenue, a building materials supplier keeps the grind going. L&M Building & Plumbing Supply Inc. piles up the common jobsite basics—pipe and fittings, lumber, hardware, masonry blocks, sealants, and small tools—all under one pitched roof. Across the bench, the sidewalk offers a shortcut toward Borough Hall if you’re lugging bundles out to a van.

At 57 Lombardy St in Brooklyn, zip 11222, phone in your pocket is all you need. Call ahead if the day turns wet—shafts of rain turn carts into boats. A quick tap on the phone screen drops a map into view so the route isn’t guessed twice: directions wait here.