By Karen Loew
Whether it’s World of Video, Chez Brigitte or Mxyplyzyk that you miss, West Villagers are concerned about how quickly small businesses in the neighborhood are disappearing these days. Oftentimes the business itself is doing just fine and there’s no shortage of customers – but the landlord chooses not to renew a lease, or else raises the rent too high for the tenant to do so.
Just this week, it was reported that a unique Village institution, Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks, is being driven out of its West 10th Street home due to a rent hike. Luckily, a fair-minded landlord on East 2nd Street has already offered the store an affordable new location.
People are responding to the situation in a variety of ways: by mourning, by chronicling the losses, by advocating for commercial rent regulation, as with the City Council’s latest attempt, the Small Business Jobs Survival Act. The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation is taking a different tack: celebrating special small businesses that are still here and helping to drive business to them.
Last week, GVSHP launched a Business of the Month program, inviting residents in the West Village, East Village and NoHo to nominate their favorite independent shops via an online form. Each month, GVSHP will select a business to feature on its blog, Off the Grid. The group will publicize the featured business via social media and its e-bulletins, and encourage businesses and local groups to do the same.
“Local businesses are the backbone of our neighborhoods, and many find themselves in an increasingly tough business environment. But GVSHP is committed to supporting the places that help keep our neighborhoods unique – the places that provide a service, atmosphere, or specialty that can’t be found anywhere else,” said Executive Director Andrew Berman. The group aims to preserve small businesses and cultural history along with architectural heritage.
The series kicked off with Makari, a gem of Japanese art and craft hiding in plain view on Third Avenue at East 13th Street. For next month’s feature, the votes are already coming in. Neighbors have nominated clothing, cheese, chocolate, wine, book, coffee and tea shops, as well as service providers for mail, healthcare, shoe repair and more.
Make sure your favorite business gets recognized and send in a nomination today via our online nomination form: https://gvshp.wufoo.com/forms/business-of-the-month/ .
Bonnie Slotnick news: http://evgrieve.com/2014/11/rent-hiked-greenwich-village-cookbook.html .
GVSHP blog: http://gvshp.org/blog/ .
