Coming soon . . .

Driving on Broadway throughout Hewlett and Woodmere, it may be difficult to notice the changes, with vacant storefronts dotting almost every block. But occupancy is, in fact, increasing, according to Ian Leigh, senior director at Pugatch Realty in Woodmere.

“Things are really starting to change, even in the last few months,” Leigh said. “We’ve rented quite a few places off and on Broadway. Hewlett has really picked up, and it’s starting to come into Woodmere, too. The business climate for medium to small retail and office space in our area has dramatically improved in the last six to nine months.”

Pugatch Realty Corp., which has been in Woodmere since 1992, focuses on both residential and commercial properties in the Five Towns.

In Woodmere, a plumbing company is buying a building at the corner of Railroad Avenue and Irving Place, a fashion boutique and bridal store opened on Irving Place, a medical practice purchased a lot on Franklin Place, a new boutique is planning to open, also on Franklin Place, and a Pilates studio is coming to Broadway.

A new bank, a dental office, a law office, a photography studio, a Crossfit training facility and two urgent-care centers will be coming to Hewlett, according to Leigh. Also in the works are a restaurant, a boutique and Modern Kitchens and Baths of Brooklyn, which signed a lease and will be opening at 1158 Broadway in the next few months.

Changes have come as the Hewlett-Woodmere Business Association has taken steps to attract more businesses to the community. “We’ve been speaking with landlords and property owners about lowering rents and offering incentives to tenants,” said Jaime Wysocki, HWBA’s president, who owns Dance Express on Broadway in Woodmere. “I would really like us to be on the same level as Huntington, Bay Shore and Deer Park, somewhere where people can bounce store to store. I think if everyone works together, we can bring Hewlett-Woodmere back to what it used to be.”

Wysocki said she believes there are a growing number of people who are more confident about taking a chance and opening up their own businesses. “I love to see the ‘For Rent’ signs coming down. That’s always a good sign,” she said. “They see we have a beautiful neighborhood, and we’ve been working to bring back the sense of community that was gone for quite a few years.”

Despite the upswing, the 73-year-old Five Towns Pharmacy, at 1019 Broadway, closed last month. “We purchased the pharmacy business of Five Towns Pharmacy and transferred the prescriptions to the Woodmere CVS, located at 929 Broadway,” said Mike DeAngelis, CVS’s public relations director. “We did not purchase their building. Patients were not required to take any action regarding their prescriptions, which can now be filled at our Woodmere location.”

Five Towns Pharmacy’s landlord is seeking a tenant, Leigh said. “Smaller pharmacies typically have a difficult time trying to compete with the buying power of a CVS,” he said.

Jeremy Rosenberg, president and founder of the Hewlett-Woodmere Civic Association, said he has noticed the closure of small, family-owned businesses along Broadway, and he intends to work with various local and community organizations, as well as local governments, to showcase the opportunities the area offers. “Our communities are unique in that we have foot and heavy vehicle traffic, therefore small businesses could potentially reach out to a large clientele,” Rosenberg said. “The HWCA is currently brainstorming ways to reach out to businesses already in the area about what improvements they think would make the downtowns more enjoyable.”

Rosenberg said he believes it will take the cooperation of neighborhood groups and residents to help ensure the economic future of local business districts. “We need all hands on deck to plan what the future of our community will look like,” he said. “I can only imagine the benefits Woodmere could reap if a small family-owned, maybe even locally owned, business took [the] place [of Five Towns Pharmacy]. Small businesses need to be protected, not pushed out.”

Hewlett High School senior Anna Aguila said she thinks the combination of affluent residents and the high school’s proximity to the businesses could be a recipe for economic success. “A large percentage of the town is wealthy and can help make a business thrive if they really like it,” Aguila said. “Many businesses also see the benefits of having a high school right near their location. During lunch and students’ off periods, those businesses are filled, especially on Broadway.”