I am writing in reply to the article that appeared on the front page of Great Neck News on Friday, July 8, 2016, “Empty storefronts vex G.N. officials.”
First, regarding the use of online shopping. I was glad to see that Haus of Tova has been able to sell their $125 T-Shirts online. The pictures that were printed of empty storefronts tell a different story.
No one does their dry cleaning, gets a haircut, buys a slice of pizza, an ice cream cone, a cup of coffee, or gets their shoes repaired online.
Second, blaming Roosevelt Field or The Americana Shopping Center is ludicrous as they both opened in 1956 and never before drew shoppers away from Great Neck.
Perhaps the fact that avaricious landlords have doubled rents in the past ten years and are lax about repairing leaky roofs and flooded basements may have something to do with the reluctance of service businesses to open up in the villages of Great Neck.
Add to this the fact that parking tickets have become a cottage industry throughout the towns.
Parking meter rates were doubled last year.
Park in a town parking lot in a two hour space and if one of your tires is on a white divider line you are ticketed.
On Sundays, when there is no time limit on parking, the traffic patrol trolls the lots the first week of every month to find vehicles with inspection stickers that had expired several days prior.
Third, businesses that drew a clientele from out of the area have evaporated into thin air.
No more Gertz Department Store; Millie’s Place Restaurant; Peter’s Place Haircutters.
There is only one movie theater left on Middle Neck Road. Finally, to quote Mark Wolf of Camp & Campus, “Unfortunately, the newest population moving into Great Neck does not patronize the local businesses and we do not have the luxury of waiting a decade until they do.”
It’s time for the Great Neck officials who are so vexed to wise up and take action.
Perhaps provide free parking with no time limits so that shoppers may have the time to enjoy a leisurely lunch, get a haircut, and window shop along Middle Neck Road.
They may even get to know the store owners, as we all did long ago, and come back to revitalize the area.
Think about it.
Michael Blaine
Great Neck
