Officials Learn On Small Business Saturday Tour
/By Peter Sloggatt
psloggatt@longislandergroup.com
Some Like It Hot owner Lonny Root talks habaneros with County Executive Steve Bellone and Legislator William “Doc” Spencer.
The Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce gave local elected officials a tour of Huntington village on Small Business Saturday, affording business owners an opportunity to meet their representatives in government and share their insights and concerns.
Chamber vice chairs Brian Yudewitz and Bob Bontempi, and Executive Director Ellen O’Brien, brought County Executive Steve Bellone, Legislator William “Doc” Spencer and Huntington Councilman Mark Cuthbertson to town to visit a handful of member businesses. The village was teeming with activity during the tour as shoppers took advantage of Small Business Saturday offerings while preparations were being made for the Huntington Holiday Parade and Wall Street Festival to be held that evening.
While the visits were quick, and each business owner had their own concerns, parking was a common topic of discussion.
“Huntington has a big parking problem,” Chip ’n Dipped owner Peter Goldfarb said, suggesting that present three-hour limits at parking meters be scrapped for shorter limits in prime areas, and longer limits only be allowed further from the core business area.
Goldfarb, said his candy and confection company currently does about 90 percent of its business through online sales, but he like to see walk-in traffic account for at least half. Encouraging short-term visits in the heart of the downtown area would help turn over spaces for new customers.
“You need to limit the time in the good spots, and let people have as long as they want in the bad spots,” he said.
At Some Like It Hot, owner Lonny Root displays and sells prepared hot sauces and spices from a storefront on New York Avenue. The store is the only one of its kind on Long Island, Root said, and while he does a fair amount of online business, the cost of shipping eats into the bottom line.
And while he prefers customers visit his store – stocked with perhaps hundreds of brands of hot sauces, barbecue sauces and dried hot peppers – the downtown location comes at a price.
“It’s very challenging. It’s expensive doing business in Huntington,” Root said, adding he’d like to see more consistent foot traffic.
He credited The Paramount, located just a few doors north of his shop, with giving his business added exposure. “It brings so many people into town,” he said.
Located a few doors on the other side of the theater, Phountain likewise could do well in a less expensive location, but the owners like being in a well-trafficked location. The store, open three years, recently became Phountain’s first local franchise, selling energy, detox and health products based around alkaline water it produces and sells.
“We held a ribbon-cutting her recently and everybody was coming in with their ‘growlers,” O’Brien commented.
The need to replenish customers’ water supplies, and its educational seminars and programs, almost require Phountain be located in a downtown area, owner Hal Cooley said.
“It’s expensive doing business here, but I love being here,” Cooley said. “The village is awesome. People are so supportive here.”
Cooley said relationships with other businesses are adding to his own bottom line as a number of restaurants, including newly opened Crabtree’s and nearby True North restaurant are offering his trademark blue water bottles at their tables.
A similar collaboration was underway at Community Pet Shop where photographer Len Marks had set up to shoot pet photos with Santa to benefit Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Center. At 10 a.m. there was already a line of pet owners with dogs dressed for the holidays.
The county executive was impressed but he warns against taking success for granted.
“Huntington is one of the premier downtowns of the region,” Bellone said. “It’s easy to look at success here and say it doesn’t need any help. But downtowns are enterprises that need to innovate.” Government needs to hear the concerns of small business owners and facilitate those innovations, he said, adding “The Chamber has been a key partner in gathering those voices.”
