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For the past few years, it seemed like the stores along Rockaway Ave. were struggling. There were quite a few vacant storefronts and the new ones were either nail places or 99 cents type of stores. Lately, I've noticed some type of revitalization going on. There is a new moderately priced (not low-scale) restaurant with a connecting eat-in bakery, a women's evening wear store, a consignment toy store, a Starbucks style independent coffee shop with lectures/entertainment/collectibles.
I was wondering if anyone knew if there was some change in the local government policy or what was done to entice new independent businesses to come to Rockaway Ave.
For the past few years, it seemed like the stores along Rockaway Ave. were struggling. There were quite a few vacant storefronts and the new ones were either nail places or 99 cents type of stores. Lately, I've noticed some type of revitalization going on. There is a new moderately priced (not low-scale) restaurant with a connecting eat-in bakery, a women's evening wear store, a consignment toy store, a Starbucks style independent coffee shop with lectures/entertainment/collectibles.
I was wondering if anyone knew if there was some change in the local government policy or what was done to entice new independent businesses to come to Rockaway Ave.
About a year ago I remember being in the library and they had a questionnaire for residents about what kind of new businesses we would like on Rockaway Avenue and information about plans to fix it up over there. Besides the new stores there is nice new masonry, sidewalks, plants, etc. I wanted a bookstore that would have readings, signings, etc. (like Book Review in Huntington), but these days they are not doing too well.
Still curious about the turnaround in occupancy and why now.
I meant the original owners of Mitchell's who ran it for years are no longer there.
I guess business owners recognized that the Village is a good place to open a store? There are also other long-time successful businesses besides Itgen's and Mitchell's there like the girl's dress shop "Ask Alice" and the skateboarding store. Maybe the new businesses saw their success and decided to replicate it.
The original owners of Mitchell's have been gone for quite a while and it has changed hands several times. I do think that Itgens is still family run, but I haven't seen Walter (Itgen) in a long time, not sure if he is still around.
For several years, as old businesses vacated, the stores remained empty or were replaced with nail place after nail place. Since the economy has gotten worse, I am just surprised that there are new businesses and they are not all catering to a low-income clientele. I also know that the Itgens owned much of the commerical space and supposedly charged high rents, not caring if they were leased or not. So perhaps, they have either changed their policy or they no longer own the space.
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