Brooklyn Shops is the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce’s borough-wide economic development initiative that assists neighborhood shopping districts by providing planning, promotion and technical assistance to help local merchants improve their street’s distinction, attractiveness and success.

Brooklyn Shops assists local merchants and community leaders in creating vibrant, attractive and prosperous neighborhood shopping strips that provide local residents with needed shops and services.  The program addresses critical issues that impede the success of specific commercial corridors by directing technical assistance in cooperation with local merchants, towards practical and customized retail development solutions.

Brooklyn Shops has been active in several Brooklyn neighborhoods, most recently in Canarsie along Avenue L, from Rockaway Parkway to Remsen Avenue.  Brooklyn Shops worked closely with the merchant community organized under the Avenue L Merchants Association.  Brooklyn Shops assisted by producing a logo and identity materials, as well as attractive street banners and a Shopping Guide to promote the area.  Additionally, the program assisted with streetscape improvements such as graffiti removal and tree plantings.  Technical assistance was also provided to individual businesses.

With support from then Borough President Howard Golden, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce provided similar retail development services to a section of Nostrand Avenue in Sheepshead Bay.  In addition, for three years, the organization led the Fulton FIRST initiative, which provided an extensive menu of neighborhood retail development services along Fulton Street in the neighborhoods of Fort Greene, Clinton Hill and Bedford-Stuyvesant.

Fulton FIRST, funded by the FleetBoston Financial Foundation and the NYC Department of Small Business Services, included major efforts in planning, local market research, street lighting, illegal vendor relocation, signage and storefront enhancements, graffiti removal, business attraction, small business technical assistance, destination marketing and neighborhood promotion.  The programmatic achievements and technical expertise developed through Fulton FIRST provide a unique foundation for the Brooklyn Chamber’s ongoing work, at a borough-wide level, through Brooklyn Shops.

For more information about the Brooklyn Shops program, contact Rick Russo, Vice President, Economic Development & Strategic Partnerships, at 718-875-1000 ext. 148, or at rrusso@brooklynchamber.com.

In an effort to further support neighborhood retailers, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce has developed consumer-driven business listings services to connect retailers to their customers.  Click here to learn more and to sign up your business today!

Photo by Karen Schuld Photography