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December 2, 2005

Jacobs and local Chambers tout the downtown shopping experience this holiday

Nassau County Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury) joined with fellow majority members and dozens of representatives from chambers of commerce across Nassau County, including Syosset and Plainview-Old Bethpage, to tout local downtown shopping for the holiday season. Jacobs was also joined by Chris Murray, counsel of the Nassau County Council of Chambers of Commerce and Kristen Matejka, director of marketing and communications at the Long Island Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Nassau County Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury) is pictured with members of Chambers of Commerce from Syosset, Plainview-Old Bethpage, Locust Valley and Glen Cove as well as local store merchants and community group members at a press conference encouraging the community to shop at their neighborhood stores. Pictured are James Tinnelly of Syosset Chamber of Commerce; Kaye Weninger of Locust Valley Chamber of Commerce; Francesca Carlow of Plainview-Old Bethpage Chamber of Commerce; Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs; Jon Pokorny of Corporate Concierge Services, LLC; Fran Monaco of Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce; Maria Anderson of Maria's Gift Shop; and Laura Schultz of Residents for a More Beautiful Syosset.

“District 16’s villages and downtown shopping areas offer a wonderful alternative to the crowded malls,” said Presiding Officer Jacobs. “It’s in our local shops where people discover unique gifts, get personalized service and also support neighborhood businesses.

“Shopping on your local main street is a different shopping experience,” added Presiding Officer Jacobs. “It is vitally important that we support our downtowns because their economic survival keeps communities alive and growing.”

Chambers of Commerce from more than 20 areas were represented at a press conference held in Mineola. The chambers represented included: Westbury, Hempstead, Locust Valley, Glen Cove, Bellmore, Merrick, Wantagh, Freeport, Syosset, Residents for a More Beautiful Syosset , Plainview-Old Bethpage, Oyster Bay, Roosevelt, Manhasset, Massapequa, Farmingdale and others. Many of the local business owners also displayed a variety of distinctive gifts available in their stores.

“Many of Long Island’s downtown shopping communities have histories dating back hundreds of years,” said Matejka. “They offer visitors a shopping experience that includes not only one-of-a-kind retail stores, but restaurants, art galleries, antique shops, museums and historical attractions, making for a rich shopping experience.”

“This is an important time of the year and we must support our local downtowns,” said Richard M. Bivone, President of the Nassau Council Chambers of Commerce. “These business owners live and pay taxes in Nassau County. Their profits stay local and are the backbone of our local economy.”