Small Business Saturday - Check Out Gifts At The Roosevelt Island Historical Society Visitors Center Kiosk Tomorrow - NYC Buildings Blocks For Neighborhood Retail Initiative Encourages Buying Local

You Tube Video of Small Business Saturday

Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday.

The 2nd annual Small Business Saturday® is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year.

On November 26, we're asking millions of people to shop small at their favorite local stores and help fuel the economy. When we all shop small, it will be huge.

According to new Main Street Master Leaseholder Hudson/Related Principal David Kramer, Roosevelt Island residents do not spend very much money with our local stores. Mr Kramer reported that 85 cents of every dollar Roosevelt Island residents currently spend is off Island.  Mr. Kramer believes that a new revitalized Main Street with retailers offering products and services that Roosevelt Islanders wish to purchase will result in more of our dollars being spent locally.

Perhaps a new initiative from the NYC Small Business Service will assist new and existing Roosevelt Island businesses and help revitalize our Main Street Retail Corridor. According to this October 31 press release:

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn today announced a series of new initiatives, called Building Blocks for Neighborhood Retail, to support neighborhood retail corridors and create jobs. The program will support the City’s economic growth by promoting local retail districts and assisting businesses within them. The initiatives are the result of a comprehensive review of retail corridor conditions by a Neighborhood Retail Working Group comprised of the Department of Small Business Services, the Department of City Planning, the Economic Development Corporation, and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn made the announcement at an event launching the second annual American Express “Small Business Saturday.” The event took place at men’s clothing store Rothman’s in Union Square, where the Mayor was also joined by American Express CEO Ken Chenault and Small Business Services Commissioner Robert Walsh.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our City’s economy and our neighborhood retail corridors are the driving force behind job creation and economic growth,” Mayor Bloomberg said. “Building Blocks for Neighborhood Retail will provide local neighborhood retail districts with the tools they need to jump-start local economic activity, attract new retailers and reach a whole new range of consumers.”...

The Roosevelt Island Historical Society wants you to remember them on Small Business Saturday:

Image From RIHS and Richard Bachmann

GIFTS FOR EVERYONE

R.I.H.S. VISITOR CENTER KIOSK

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY

NOVEMBER 26TH 12 NOON TO 5:00 P.M.

GREAT HOLIDAY GIFTS: TRAMS, MODELS, TOYS, BOOKS TEE SHIRTS, CAPS & MUCH MORE!

SUPPORT THE ISLAND’S “SMALLEST” BUSINESS 

ALL PROCEEDS SUPPORT THE ROOSEVELT ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY

REFRESHMENTS AND TREATS FOR THE KIDS

The entire NYC Small Business Building Blocks For Neighborhood Retail Initiative Press Release is here.

UPDATE 5 PM - RIHS merchandise includes miniature Roosevelt Island Tram replicas

 Image from Judy Berdy

and Tram T-shirts.

  Image from Judy Berdy

More examples of RIHS Visitor Center Kiosk merchandise here.