Just what is Small Business Saturday and why should you support it in town.
Big name national retailers take the spotlight on Black Friday as their deep price cuts pull in shoppers in droves. What about those mom-and-pop businesses all over Wayne and beyond that are the backbone of America’s economy? Just when do they get their day? That’s basically the question that was asked back in 2010 when the concept of Small Business Saturday was born. Small Business Saturday is “a day to celebrate and support small businesses and all they do for their communities,” the U.S. Small Business Administration explains on its website. American Express gets the credit for founding the shopping holiday, which got its start on Nov. 27, 2010, according to the Small Business Saturday Facebook page. Celebrating its third year on Nov. …
Croatian native allows other transplants in North Jersey to enjoy Eastern European food for less.
Frank Brlajoil's store is growing. When Brlajoil, who is originally from Kosovo, opened the store a month ago with his wife, he only had a few shelves for displaying the products he sells. Now he has several. “We’re slowly getting bigger,” Brlajoil said with a smile. “A little bit at a time.” Brlajoil’s store, the European Specialty Market, sells imported foods from mostly Eastern Europenan countries including Albania, Croatia, Serbai, Macedonia, and Turkey, just to name a few. The store is located in the Mountainview section of town. “There’s a market for this kind of food,” Brlajoil said. “Normally, you’d have to go to Brooklyn or buy these products online, which can be very inexpensive to do.” Brlajoil said he’s already spoken to …
Area was hit hard by Tropical Storm Irene last year. Several businesses have reopened and relocated to the busy area.
About a year ago, the Mountainview business district was in bad shape. Tropical Storm Irene took its toll on the area. Several businesses flooded and were shut down, some of them for months. Grasshopper Too was closed for two months. The Crossroads Eatery, Must Love Dogs, and several businesses in the Stahl Shopping Center were shut down. Kenny Leech, the owner of Kenny’s Pit Stop, a longstanding restaurant and a fixture in the area, moved to Pequannock earlier this year because of the flooding. “I didn’t have flood insurance and my regular insurance wouldn’t pay for the repairs,” said Leech right after the restaurant opened at its new location. “I might have had to wait a year or more to open up over there. I can’t wait that long. I’ve …
leanbean
7:30 pm on Saturday, November 24, 2012
Glad to see Chris was working. more ›