Guest Op-Ed: New report shows local small business economy is improving
If small businesses are the backbone of New York City, then they are the lifeblood of southwest Brooklyn. Our small businesses keep our avenues vibrant, they reflect the diversity of our neighborhoods, and they contribute to our strong sense of community, which is why it’s so exciting when new businesses open, and so heartbreaking when businesses, especially the ones we’ve grown up with, close.
Last December, I wrote about the many vacant storefronts in our community. At the time, I had counted over 60 “For Rent” signs across Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bath Beach and Bensonhurst.
But, less than a year later, I have good news to share. According to a recently released report, the vacancy rates for small businesses in our community have gone down. And when it comes to keeping storefronts occupied, Bay Ridge in particular is actually doing substantially better than the citywide average.