A new survey of East Williamsburg’s small businesses found that a decline in foot traffic ranks among the top challenges facing the neighborhood’s longtime shops, according to Greenpointers, which reported the findings in a piece by Majo Cortes on June 16.
The results come from a Commercial District Needs Assessment, or CDNA, a set of surveys of merchants and residents. Greenpointers reported the assessment was conducted under AvenueNYC, a three-year commercial revitalization program administered by the city’s Department of Small Business Services.
The specific finding named in the reporting is that foot traffic has dropped. As Greenpointers described it, iconic businesses that have operated in the area for decades are facing new pressures as Williamsburg keeps changing, and thinning foot traffic is one of the most significant.
Greenpointers reported that AvenueNYC awarded grants connected to the Grand Street commercial corridor. The full list of challenges the survey identified, the number of businesses that responded, and the group that carried out the surveys were not detailed in the portion of the reporting available.
The Department of Small Business Services runs a range of free programs aimed at exactly these problems, from grants to legal help, though many owners learn those resources exist only after they need them.
Featured image: Photo: Black Iris
