RECOGNIZE THIS MAN?
A disturbing incident occurred in our area on Wednesday, July 27, as reported by Patch:
A Fort Greene grocery worker was stabbed in the back with a screwdriver in an unprovoked, broad daylight attack, police said. The 33-year-old man was restocking fruit at Mr. Mango Fruit & Vegetables on Lafayette Avenue and Fulton Street at about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday when his attacker snuck up behind him, police said.
Video footage shows the man walking near the market, then seemingly out of nowhere, plunging the screwdriver into the Mr. Mango worker’s right shoulder, police said.
The screwdriver assailant ran away towards Fort Greene Park and hasn’t been seen since, said police. See the video here; anyone with information about the attack is asked to contact the NYPD.
As in all parts of the city, the population of homeless and those challenged with mental health issues has grown exponentially since the pandemic, and we are constantly working on solutions with local elected officials and city agencies. FAB businesses, if you continue to have issues, please also reach out to your NCOs via text, if it is a non-emergency. (In emergencies such as this one, ALWAYS call 911.) We have asked our area officers to increase patrols, but reporting helps us identify ongoing and chronic issues that have high priority for everyone’s safety.
MORE INVESTMENT IN NYC SMALL BIZ FROM MAYOR ADAMS
Several FAB-area businesses have taken advantage of the many FREE services offered by the NYC Small Business Resource Network (SBRN), accessing everything from technical support to legal counsel, marketing expertise, and more.
There’s now good news for businesses who have not yet connected with SBRN: recently, Mayor Eric Adams announced a $1.5 million investment in the organization, allowing the SBRN to extend its programming through 2023. The investment builds on the Mayor’s commitment to supporting small businesses, entrepreneurship, and a more equitable economy in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Get help with a website, logo design, and more — it takes less than 10 minutes to get connected to an SBRN small business support specialist here!
ENFORCEMENT OF COMMERCIAL ORGANICS RULES STARTS JULY 31
There was a Commercial Organics law effective July 2020 for certain NYC establishments to separate their organic waste. The regulations that were extended due to the pandemic will now go into effect on July 31, 2022.
Businesses covered by these rules must separate staff-handled, back-of-the-house food scraps, plant trimmings, food-soiled paper, and certified compostable products from garbage and other recyclables. To find out if your business meets the minimum requirements, go to the DSNY resource page.
RELAXED RULES FOR THE EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT GRANT
An update has been made to the NY State COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program that you need to know about! For qualified businesses, there’s still funding available for grants up to $50,000.
**Did you decide not to apply because the program required you to demonstrate a positive net profit on your 2019 Business Tax return? That requirement has been lifted, so you may now be eligible.**
New applicants: visit https://nysmallbusinessrecovery.com/ and scroll to the Application Guide section for a step-by-step guide to filling in the application, available in 14 languages. If you would like assistance, the Brooklyn Chamber Business Recovery team can help you. Just reach out and they can connect you to the help you need.
Existing applicants: if you have already applied to this program and been denied due to the tax return requirement, you don’t need to do anything! Lendistry will reach out to you directly by email if your eligibility has changed. Do not fill out a new application. Feel free to contact the Brooklyn Chamber Business Recovery team for help or reach out to your case manager regarding next steps.
WHAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW YOU NEEDED…
Do you know about cyber liability insurance? Cyber policies generally cover your business’s liability for a data breach involving sensitive customer information, such as Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, account numbers, driver’s license numbers, and health records. If you have any client information that is not protected, the business is held responsible for the breach. Policies can also cover indemnification for legal fees and expenses.
If you are interested in learning more about cyber liability insurance and if it’s right for your business, contact Miriam Colon at the Brooklyn Small Business Development Center. Their services are FREE.
A NEW FACE AT FAB
Welcome Eshti Sookram, our new BID Operations Assistant!
Eshti joined FAB at the start of July as our part-time, temporary (thru October) BID Operations Assistant, helping with streetscape projects, BID data collection, events, and marketing efforts.
A 23-year-old urban planner and environmentalist from New York, Eshti received her BA in Urban and Public Policy and BS in Environmental Sciences at the University at Buffalo (SUNY) and is currently pursuing a Masters of Science in Urban Planning at Columbia Unversity’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP). Eshti is very passionate about the intersection of climate adaptation in environmental justice communities, how design can foster green streetscapes and people-centric cities, and using data/analytics as a means to promote equity. Other than being a student, she enjoys being outdoors, crocheting, painting, and looking for the city’s best ice cream!
You’re sure to see her soon visiting and working throughout the district or at our events; be sure to introduce yourself and say hi!
THE OPENINGS JUST KEEP COMING…
Fulton Street is BUSY — not just with residents and visitors doing the FAB thing (Eat, Explore, Play and Shop!), but with new business neighbors working on bringing exciting new energy to the district! Last month’s run down was robust, and yet, there’s more!
The good folks behind Gotham Market at The Ashland (590 Fulton) must be thrilled that all of their ground-floor food hall space is now occupied! Joining Fulton Hall NYC, Whatever Forever opened a while back (and by the way, is Brooklyn’s hottest new brunch spot), and Smashed NYC soft-opened with many pop-ups, and is now in regular operation. Taco Taco debuted last month and Peaches Prime has quietly been the scene of a couple of private events but looks poised to open publicly soon. Blank Street Coffee is the advertised new storefront at 71 Lafayette. Down the street a bit at the former location for The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, we’ve seen a notice in the window for Forma Pasta Factory, which has an outpost in nearby Greenpoint. A few doors down, real estate agency Triplement has taken up residence at 9 Greene. The activity at Fulton and Vanderbilt was revealed to all when branded signage for Hungry Ghost Coffee and Bar Francis appeared at 810 Fulton. And, in Clinton Hill, convenience store Foggy Vibes looks to move into the former Brooklyn Shawarma space at 1001 Fulton.
We hope this movement continues and look forward to more businesses coming to our area!
NEW FAB EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: ANGIE BROWN
FAB FULTON recently announced the appointment of a new Executive Director, Angie Brown.
Ms. Brown is a longtime FAB employee, who started with the organization as a Social Media Strategy consultant in 2013. She next moved into a full-time role as Marketing Manager, focused on the creation and distribution of content for the communication channels for the BID, including digital feeds, newsletters, guides, posters, and other collateral materials. Along with a FAB colleague, she produced the first podcast by a New York City BID. She also executed production coordination and merchant outreach for events like ART360. At the start of 2021, Ms. Brown became the Assistant Director at FAB, working alongside the former Executive Director, Christina Chavez, to stay connected and supportive of the business community during the COVID-19 pandemic, while continuing to provide free virtual programming for the community. Ms. Brown worked more directly with community stakeholders, city agencies, and elected officials. She took the lead in strategic planning for FAB’s return to public programming in the district’s public spaces. Ms. Brown has noted that her continued aspirations with the organization are to combine her unique blend of strengths with passion for her adopted neighborhood and contribute to a vision that supports a fair and inclusive future for the businesses and residents of this community.
Ms. Brown holds a Master’s (magna cum laude) in Urban Policy and Leadership from Hunter College and a BA in English Literature from the University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA). She was also a CORO Fellow in Neighborhood Leadership in 2020 and completed CUNY’s Summer Intensive in Public Policy that same year.
In the coming weeks, we’ll have a Merchant Mixer (remember those?) to bring together new and old business owners for a meet and greet; stay tuned for details. Ms. Brown is available to assist FAB FULTON businesses with any questions or concerns; you can contact her at the office: 718.928.3322, ext. 2, or via email: abrown@faballiance.org.
ABOUT FAB FULTON
The Fulton Area Business Alliance (FAB FULTON) is a non-profit organization that advocates for and collaborates with small businesses and property owners along Fulton Street in Brooklyn’s neighborhoods of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill to maintain a safe, clean, and welcoming community while securing resources and partnerships for initiatives that enhance and promote the district.
This post contains links to the articles and information referenced in our latest FAB BIZ BLAST email communication. You can subscribe to future newsletters; sign up here for the FAB FULTON BIZ BLAST to get the latest information and resources for FAB FULTON Businesses!
