Staten Island Chamber of Commerce puts finger on the pulse of small business owners
SILIVE - May 11, 2011STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A busy stretch of Victory Boulevard in Castleton Corners harks back, in some ways, to a sweet, bygone time: Chain retailers are widely outnumbered by quaint mom-and-pop stores, where owners put in long hours, mingling with regular customers and minding the till.
But these small-business owners must deal with very modern challenges: Ever-changing government mandates and incentives; city requirements and fines; parking meters; traffic; the inconvenience of occasional street maintenance — not to mention the grueling, ongoing struggle of trying to stay afloat financially during these trying economic times.
In an effort to get to know these hardworking folk who make the neighborhood tick, about a dozen members of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce took a stroll yesterday between Slosson and Jewett Avenues, reaching out to more than 100 business owners to let them know about the help available to them through the not-for-profit association. They were joined by City Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore) and representatives of the city and state departments of labor, as well as the mayor’s Office of Community Afairs.
“We don’t have a huge marketing department, and this is a way to let the businesses know how we are here to help them on Staten Island,” said President and CEO Linda Baran.
PAST TOURS
The Chamber has gone on similar walks in the past, hitting the streets of New Dorp and also the borough’s only Business Improvement District, on Forest Avenue in West Brighton, gaining membership along the way.
In a sign the economy may truly be on the mend, the Chamber of Commerce this year has not lost any of its 800 members, Ms. Baran said.
In 2009, the group lost 90 members, or more than 10 percent of its membership. They were going out of business or were operating so close to the bone, they could not afford the $370 in annual dues.
The dues are more than made up for by the discounts, services and networking events offered to members, Ms. Baran told business owners yesterday, outlining how the association provides all manner of services to businesses, advocates on their behalf and offers them guidance in respect of regulations and tax incentives.
Most of the membership consists of local small businesses, she said.
According to the state Department of Labor, nearly 90 percent of Staten Island firms employ fewer than 19 people, with 70 percent of them employing fewer than five.
“The business community is having a tough time, like everyone else, and they’ve been able to sustain themselves,” said Ms. Rose. “Whatever resources that can be brought to them in their struggle to remain viable are important.”
PROBLEMS
Stephanie Fruchtman of Staten Eye Land set forth her pet peeve: Overzealous traffic officers hover over her customers’ cars while other police officers are nowhere to be found, she contends.
“I even run out and feed the meter for customers myself,” said Mrs. Fruchtman, who has owned the eyeglass store for 35 years.
Recently a Consolidated Edison project closed off the busy road, impacting the parking spots in front of her store. “It would be nice to have known beforehand, so we could reschedule some of the appointments. Some of my customers are senior citizens, they can’t walk if they don’t have a spot,” she said to the group, who nodded in agreement as she spoke.
“Well, you can call us, next time that happens,” offered Ms. Baran, explaining the Chamber has ways to facilitate communication between businesses and city agencies.
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