Nov. 23, 2014 By Christian Murray
Expect a holiday gift guide – promoting Sunnyside’s small businesses – to arrive in the mail any day now.
Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District, with the help of LaGuardia Community College students, has produced a 10-page brochure that showcases what 22 local stores have to offer as well as the importance of shopping locally. The promotion also ties into Small Business Saturday, a day when shoppers are expected to buy from smaller stores following the big-box binge on black Friday.
The BID has printed 30,000 guides and will be mailing 18,000 of them to the zip code 11104 and certain sections of Woodside. The remaining guides will be distributed this Saturday when a special event is held at Bliss Plaza (underneath the 46th train station) to kickoff Small Business Saturday and the holiday season.
The event, which will take place on Nov. 29 between 12:00 pm and 1 pm, will feature free giveaways and live music from the Sunnyside Social Club, a local jazz group.
“I am delighted that the BID has produced a holiday gift guide,” said Czarinna Andres, owner of Bing’s Hallmark. “Every bit of publicity helps local businesses.”
Andres is offering a coupon in the guide that offers shoppers a discount. Stores such as Avalon Florist and Red Wing Shoes are also providing discounts.
Maria Torres-Springer, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services, was in Sunnyside last week and spoke about the importance of residents shopping locally during the holiday season.
Springer said that 20-30 percent of sales for small businesses take place during this period. She said that it is important to have promotions like these to help them compete with the large online retailers and bigger stores. She added that the marketing campaigns conducted by the 70 BIDs across the city are helping smaller businesses– including in this neighborhood.
“Sunnysiders understand the importance of shopping locally, but we wanted to make it even easier by publishing the gift guide and promoting local businesses on Small Business Saturday,” said Rachel Thieme, executive director of Sunnyside Shines.
Details:
Event: Small Business Saturday kickoff
Date: Nov. 29
Time: 12 pm – 1pm
Czarrinna Andres
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8 Comments
I love the way if you express a different opinion you are ripped into. The stores in this neighborhood are poor. If I need some clothes i have to go into Manhattan. And don’t tell me to go and stay there you moron. I was living here before most of you idiots ever heard of this place. Everyone has a right to their opinion. We don’t have to all agree with the “Sunnyside Garden Elitists.”
Shop LOCAL you hipsters.
Very cute! Obviously I wish there was more retail diversity in the neighborhood, but I like this idea!
Maybe if there were any decent stores in the neighborhood besides card stores if shop in Sunnyside all the time. Only clothing store was closed down.
Had a chance to review it, I think it’s very professional and nicely done, the amount of stores participated is also nice to see, there are a lot of good deals in there. I know this is meant for small businesses, but it would be nice if larger stores supported the SS programs and put ads or coupons on it stuff like Radio Shack, Deals, Starbucks, or South Pole.
Christian, you should put a PDF copy once it’s distributed in case some people do not get to see it.
Sorry, this is where I gladly swipe the metrocard and venture into Bklyn or Manhattan. 99 cent stores, hardware, nail salon, donut shops, DEALZ, southpole…..
Good for you. Hey, next time you go…stay there.
I wish all stores in SS would know your name so they can ban you from all stores, including supermarkets, maybe you’d like to go pick up your milk and groceries from Manhattan or Brooklyn too.