The significance of the robust numbers is not lost on city officials like Jonnel Doris, commissioner of the City’s Department of Small Business Services (SBS).  On July 6, Doris took a walking tour along Fordham Road, accompanied by Wilma Alonso, executive director of the Fordham Road Business Improvement District (BID), and Daniel J. Bernstein, the BID’s deputy director.

On what was a hot, sunny day, the group walked from the Grand Concourse to Webster Avenue, distributing boxes of face masks, canvas shopping bags, and leaflets explaining how residents could reach out for help from NYC Department of Small Business Services. Stopping at Bryan Park at the intersection of East Fordham and East Kingsbridge roads, the group stopped to speak with pedestrians, explaining their goals.

“We’ve been going around our city and today we’re at Fordham [road] to really survey the comeback of New York City, and to talk to our local small business owners as part of our ‘Shop Your City’ campaign,” Doris said.

One aspect of the Fordham Road BID was singled out by Doris for special praise.  “One great thing to know about the entrepreneurs in this district, which is key to, I think, why this is such a vibrant community [is that] over 60 percent of the business owners here are immigrants, like me,” he said.

The initiative known as “Shop Your City,” encourages shoppers to buy merchandise and groceries locally. Another program recently announced for small businesses, “NYC Business Quick Start,” aims to help small business owners cut through the red tap that hinders some prospective merchants from even trying to open a business in the city, because of what can seem like a bureaucratic maze.

The interagency program includes the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), the Department of Buildings (DOB), and SBS.

Among the main benefits to business owners who reach out for help are having a single point of contact to help with multiple city regulations as well as a guaranteed response to inquiries from small businesses with 48 hours. The wait time for responses will be cut by 50 percent, according to information on the NYC Business Quick Start’s website.

Almost three years ago, Kirsten (last name withheld) opened a clothing store on the Grand Concourse, catering to women over 30. She knew the first year of running a business would be tough while she tried to establish a customer base, but she said closing the store under COVID-19 restrictions, and then gradually reopening to a small but loyal customer base has further hindered the growth she had originally envisioned as a small business owner.

The tour of the Fordham Road BID started inside her store, “Le$$ Clothing,” located at 2484 Grand Concourse. She’s thankful for the commissioner’s visit and the media coverage on that day. “It’s always good to get some sort of press,” she said. “I’m hoping that with the article [in Norwood News], local people will read it so that will help increase our [customer] traffic,” she said.

Kirsten praised the Fordham BID for checking in on her business. Her sales have yet to reach pre-COVID levels, but she estimates that her business is “70 to 75 percent back.” She has applied for various loans and grants and expects to see sales increase as people become more comfortable going outside. Although her business is approaching a third anniversary, she still considers herself “the new kid on the block.”

“We’ve had a lot of challenges since COVID began,” Kirsten said. “Once they [customers] come in once, I feel they will come in a second time. People are still discovering us, but we still need more business, more customers.”