RVC businesses feeling holiday slowdown

As the holiday season falls upon the Village of Rockville Centre, local businesses are feeling the sting of the poor economy and are turning to residents to help them through.

“Businesses are surviving, but very barely,” said Larry Siegel, president of the Rockville Centre Chamber of Commerce. “The economy has taken a major toll on the village. And I think the merchants are just getting by.”

Many businesses have already left the village, leaving empty storefronts and “For Rent” signs in their wake. For those businesses that are still around, business—and the profits that go with it—have slowed.

“We’re doing OK,” said Bruce Mirkin, owner of Accent on Eyes. Mirkin said his businesses is down 10 to 15 percent from last year—a cut that has made him change policies to attract customers. Mirkin said he’s started selling new, cheaper lines of frames and he’s also sent out more 15-percent-off coupons to his customers—something he only used to do at the end of the year. It’s a move he said has produced results.

“People are definitely being more thrifty, they’re using their old frames where they might have gotten new frames in the past, or if they’re getting new frames they’re getting the less expensive ones,” said Mirkin. “We sent out a 15-percent-off mailing to our customers, and that has definitely produced results. People appreciate that.”

According to Siegel, one of the things hurting businesses still in the village this season is, ironically, businesses that have left.

“When you come into a shopping market, you look to see all the businesses that are there,” Siegel said. “But when you have ‘For Rent’ signs on every block, what’s the attraction to go there?”

“Business is off a little bit,” said Van Pape, owner of Rhea Nichols Shoes. “It’s not off a lot, but there’s not as many people coming through the door right now. I think the economy is a lot of it. But I think all of Rockville Centre is feeling the same thing.”

Pape also had to resort to new methods to attract customers to his store during a slower season. “You wind up breaking your clearance sale earlier,” he said. “That’s basically how I’ve responded to it—by lowering prices. This time of year I always run my end of the season clearance sale. So I started it a week earlier this year.”

Business was also slightly off for Lloyd Leder of Leder’s Jewelers, who said that things were just a little bit slow. To entice customers, he said, “we put in a few different lines, with different price points.”

“I think residents need to shop the village merchants and show them support, because, realistically, these are the people that, when all the other organizations in town come looking for prizes and support, these are the people that really support the residents all year long,” said Siegel. “Now it’s time for the residents to reciprocate.”

Comments about this story? ACostello@liherald.com or (516)569-4000 ext. 207.