By ANTHONY RIFILATO
Instead of schlepping to Westbury to snag a new $300 DirecTV HD DVR, Zamora, 37, decided to stay local and avoid the crowds at places like Roosevelt Field.
"On Black Friday, you want to avoid the big malls," said Zamora. "It's more convenient here, not too crazy. [Best Buy is] not attached to other big anchor stores, and with electronics on my list, shopping has been easier."
It was that convenience - and sales - that drew hundreds of shoppers to the new Best Buy at 660 Sunrise Highway, which opened last August. The store was bustling with shoppers last Friday, as people carried out everything from the latest flat-screen TVs to DVDs. "I'm definitely jumping in on the holiday shopping," said South Hempstead resident Mickey Dank, who said he got a great deal on several DVDs like "Sleepers" and "Stand by Me." "But these are for me."
Many said this was the first time in recent memory that they could shop on Black Friday in Baldwin, with the town's commercial retail base virtually nonexistent for years. And with large malls superseding small, downtown shopping districts, local shoppers said that Baldwin seems to be reversing a trend with the opening of Best Buy and other initiatives.
"I'm only a couple of blocks away from my house, and I said, Why don't I stop here?" said resident Karen Hannon. "I'm not really into doing the whole Black Friday thing. I was actually in Garden City, and didn't even bother to shop up there."
According to the National Retail Foundation's 2007 Black Friday survey, more than 147 million shoppers turned out last Friday to mark the start of the holiday season - a 4.8 percent increase over last year. And with electronics at the top of many holiday lists this season, Best Buy attracted shoppers who waited in line overnight at many locations, including Baldwin - which opened at 5 a.m. - to take advantage of the latest deals, like a Sony 7.2-megapixel digital camera for $99.99.
"This is the best thing that's happened to Baldwin in a long time," said resident Evan Barkan, who was shopping with Dank and other friends. "Having this here is giving all the other stores more business."
Indeed, since Best Buy took over the former Waldbaum's space, local merchants said they have seen a tremendous boost in business. Laura Hetzel, owner of Amore Mio Pizzeria & Restaurant a few doors down, said her business has increased more than 25 percent since Best Buy opened.
"My store has increased business tremendously, and they've only been open two and a half months," Hetzel said, adding that not only shoppers, but also Best Buy employees come in for lunch and dinner.
A new lease on life
Town of Hempstead officials said that by 2009, Best Buy won't be the only store in Baldwin teeming with shoppers on Black Friday. On Nov. 13, the town approved a revitalization project for Grand Avenue and Merrick Road that will include a mix of other national retail chains. Town Councilman Anthony Santino said that one of the reasons the Best Buy opened was the redevelopment project, which is expected to attract shoppers from other towns and boost local businesses.
Chamber of Commerce members said that after years of trying to attract new businesses, Baldwin would now capture the attention of national retailers. Many said that it is undergoing a renaissance. Next year, a new Toyota dealership is slated to open near Best Buy on Sunrise Highway. Waldbaum's on Atlantic Avenue has finally begun a multimillion-dollar expansion and beautification project, which languished for five years. And Baldwin was recently named one of the top 25 towns in the U.S. to live in by Money magazine - the only town on Long Island to make the list.
"Our town is going through a renaissance, thanks to the hard work and dedication of many involved volunteers," said Doug Diana, a member of the chamber as well as the town Board of Zoning Appeals. According to Diana, that renaissance is not stopping with the redevelopment project. Town officials will soon begin looking at improving commercial districts all along Grand Avenue, he said.
At a chamber meeting on Nov. 20, Diana said the town might conduct a "vision" study for Grand Avenue, stretching all the way to the Southern State Parkway. A consulting firm would look at beautifying existing businesses and facades, working with landlords and attracting nationally known retailers. Diana added that the chamber would co-sponsor the study, and that community meetings would be held to discuss the plan, which hasn't been officially announced or given a timeline.
"What they're talking about doing is coordinating a new vision study that would go up through Grand Avenue," Diana said. "The idea is to have the momentum going, and not stop with the redevelopment project on Grand Avenue. Wouldn't it be nice to keep expanding it? I think people are starting to see the results of efforts made by a lot of hard-working volunteers."
One of the town's goals, Diana said, would be to spur redevelopment at the Baldwin Shopping Center near Baldwin High School. That plaza has several empty stores, one of which, an anchor tenant, Global Furniture and Bedding, has remained vacant for more than two years.
"The town would take a real hard look at the shopping center by the high school and the storefronts near the Southern State Parkway," Diana said. "This may be an answer to all of Baldwin's [commercial] concerns. It's the next logical step after the revitalization project."
Comments about this story? Baldwineditor@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 207.
Photos by Victoria Lodi/ Herald
