Sunset Park BID discusses struggles of local businesses, residents amid coronavirus outbreak
SUNSET PARK — Sunset Park is trying to stay strong despite local businesses suffering due to the closures of restaurants, bars caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
The Sunset Park Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) Executive Director David Estrada discussed the issues that the neighborhood’s merchants and residents have been facing since all city restaurants and bars closed to customers except for food take-out and delivery.
The struggle of small merchants
“Our small merchants have been vulnerable already with small margins and reduced retail trade and this if is as serious as everyone is saying, my real fear is that it’s hard to find ways to help small businesses that are not operating with cash reserves and a large margin,” he told this paper. “I don’t doubt it’s the serious and correct thing to do. We will see lasting and permanent damage especially to the smallest non national brand local merchants.”