Sidewalk sale is a boom for Cedarhurst businesses

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Shoppers flooded the sidewalks of Central Avenue and side streets for the Cedarhurst’s Business Improvement District’s four-day Summer Sidewalk Sale, during which retail outlets and restaurants offered patrons tremendous bargains.

Central Avenue — known as the fashion center of Long Island’s South Shore for more than 100 years — was most crowded between Cedarhurst and Washington avenues on Aug. 11, as people from the Five Towns, its surrounding communities and New Jersey and Connecticut shopped at its upscale shops and boutiques.

“For business it (the Summer Sidewalk Sale) is great,” Adina Klein, owner of Prestigio Wigs, said. “We love it.” Wigs at Prestigio were up to $400 off — a huge sale just for the event.

The sidewalk sale — Aug. 10, 11, 12 and 14 — switched up the scenery for shoppers, shop owners and workers, drawing people outside to the sunny sidewalks. There are more than 280 storefronts throughout Cedarhurst.

“It's always good for commerce,” Sharon Garber, owner of Blue Door Books at 501 Central Avenue, said. At Blue Door’s storefront, there was a table of $1, $2 and $5 books and games as well as a 20 percent off sale on hardcover books and 10 percent off paperbacks.

The shops on Cedarhurst’s main street — which is easily accessible by car and bus, and has a centrally located Long Island Rail Road station — range from clothing to designer eyewear, fine linens, furniture, interior design services, jewelry, office supplies and toys, along with a variety of cafes and restaurants.

“You can walk around and see a variety of stores that carry high-end stuff,” said Steven Silverman, owner of Morton’s a clothing store at 553 Central Ave. Some of Morton’s sales included 50 percent off jackets, 30 percent off all clothing, $10 jeans and $5 toys.

The BID, an organization of business owners and landlords, was founded in 1993 to promote and support village businesses. The BID collects an assessment of the village tax on commercial property, and, in conjunction with the village, uses the money for improvements and promotions in the business community, such as the Summer Sidewalk Sale. The maximum allowed assessment by law is 20 percent.

“A lot of towns envy the fact that we do these things that the merchants organization hosts,” Silverman said, adding, “It's a nice event because it's very unique to Cedarhurst. A lot of towns don't do this kind of thing.”

Garber and Silverman both noted that the first day of the Summer Sidewalk Sale was busiest. “It's one of the things that make Cedarhurst shine,” Silverman said, “you know, it's a very friendly town. So it's just it's a good change of pace.”