Coming together for North Shore small businesses

When small business closures, due to Covid-19, seemed to be inevitable by mid-March, leaders of several North Shore business associations knew they had to come together to help local businesses stay afloat. After several meetings, the four associations — the Gold Coast Business Association, Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce, Glen Cove Business Improvement District and North Shore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce — came up with an idea.

They sent out a survey to all of their members on March 24 asking for contact information, open status and services they are providing while businesses are closed. Glen Cove Chamber administrator Yajhayra Reyes has taken that information and created a document which is regularly updated as more businesses include themselves. As the list expands, it is regularly shared via social media and email listings.

As of press time Wednesday, over 120 businesses’ information has been added to the ongoing list. Steve Warshaw, GCBA’s president, said the groups are sharing their resources so they can keep all of the information on one list, making it accessible to everybody on the North Shore, not just those in specific areas. He said the bottom line of the work they are doing is to keep the small business economy alive on the North Shore.

“I hope that was can help the small business economy in our North Shore areas to keep the cash moving,” Warshaw said, “to keep them operating and keep them in business so when this is all done, they can still be there and come back to normal speed.”

As the owner of the Glen Cove Salt Cave, Reyes said she is in the same boat as other closed businesses and knows exactly how those owners feel. It is important, she said, for small businesses to know that the organizations they are part of are there to support them in times of need.

“[We’re] showing our businesses that we’re there for them and that we have their back,” Reyes said. “We’re always going to be there to share all the information that we know.”

Reyes said it is beneficial for all residents to follow the work the organizations are doing, as that can help residents grow to appreciate local businesses even more because they are all important parts of the same community.