Gotham Gazette

The Place for New York Policy and politics

small businesses

small businesses

  • Protecting Small Businesses from a Big Box Takeover

    Neighborhood wine and liquor shop in Midtown Manhattan (photo: Claudia Cowley)


    Get used to seeing more vacant retail space in a neighborhood near you. Like small hardware stores and other mom-and-pop businesses that have disappeared over the years, with the proliferation of big box retailers, small liquor stores will be forced to close too underlegislative initiatives underway in New York, and the

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  • Our Path to a Safer New York City Runs Through Affordable Housing and Small Businesses

    Open for business (photo: Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Office)


    Our city has seen better days. You can’t walk a block in Chelsea without feeling like you’re in a graveyard of small businesses — I count six vacant storefronts on my block alone. The streets feel far less safe than they used to — a fight recently broke out next to my wife and me as we exited a coffee shop on 8th Avenue. And every day it feels like there’s more and more trash — everywhere.

    In fact, these individual issues are all part of an underlying cycle

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  • Report Shows Extensive Small Business Struggles, Ways City Government Can Help

    de blasio small business

    Mayor visits business (photo: Ed Reed Mayor's Office)


    When the pandemic first spread through New York City in March 2020, Karen DiPeri stared at a list of events that her hospitality service company, HMG Plus, was scheduled to facilitate. HMG typically staffs corporate events — serving hor d’oeuvres, bartending, cleaning up afterwards — and as the city began to shut down, the company’s future grew uncertain. On HMG’s back-end software, active upcoming events show up in green. But as client after client canceled, DiPeri watched the orders turn into a stream of

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  • New York City is Heading in the Right Direction on Saving Small Businesses

    cm rec local

    A small business visit (photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office)


    After a devastating year for small businesses, we are heartened to see commitment from Mayor de Blasio and the City Council to dedicate $155 million to small business recovery and job training. In the last year, we’ve lost many businesses and community spaces due to the pandemic and the lack of timely and sufficient action at all

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  • New York City Cannot Fine Its Way Through a Covid Recovery

    city expanding relief

    "Save Small Business" (photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office)


    The next few years in New York City will no doubt be challenging. 

    In a few months, a new mayoral administration and the next City Council will inherit the worst financial situation in 20 years. The path ahead will be difficult as we try to lure tourism and business back to New York, in hopes of closing budget gaps that will threaten vital social services above all else. We must learn from the lessons of the past, however, to guarantee this isn’t a recovery built off the

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  • The Next Mayor Must Finally Address Our Commercial Affordability Challenge

    our commercial afford

    (photo: Edwin J. Torres. Mayoral Photo Office)


    New Yorkers know that love of neighborhood is synonymous with love of small businesses. But in 2020, we suddenly learned just how thin the reserves of our shops, restaurants, and bars can be. Many New Yorkers responded by doubling down on that love of local; meanwhile, too many businesses felt deeply let down by their elected officials as they faced mounting rent debt and great uncertainty. And so when small business owners vote in June’s Democratic primary to elect the next mayor, many will be voting

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  • WATCH: Experts Discuss What's Next for New York City's Streetscapes, Businesses and Neighborhoods

    cu vacancies civic

    New York City (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)


    Three experts joined Citizens Union Foundation for a panel on "Vacancies andn Vision: What’s Next for NYC’s Streetscapes, Businesses, and Neighborhoods," disussing the future of New York City. Moderated by Gotham Gazette editor Ben Max, the panel included former Deputy Mayor Alici