By Howard Koplowitz
“We've had all these stores going out and it's a shame,” said Angela Augugliaro, the president of the Queens Colony Civic Association and a member of the Joint Bellerose Business District.”All of a sudden everything's closing down,” said her husband, Mike Auguliaro, who is also a member of the civic and Joint Bellerose.”Every time (Joint Bellerose) goes to do a directory of businesses, we have to keep updating,” he said.The Bellerose Floral Park Florist, located at 245-01 Jericho Turnpike, was the latest to close its doors, doing so last month.Jeanne Rizzo and Tara Duelfer, the co-owners of the florist, could not be reached for comment.”Until two weeks ago they had stuff in the place,” said Mike Augugliaro. He said he found out the florist was closing after he saw an advertisement saying the business was for sale about two months ago.A merchant who shares the same landlord as the flower shop but did not want to be identified said the florist's rent had been raised, forcing it to leave Jericho Turnpike. He said the entire block is owned by the same landlord but he has yet to receive a rent increase. David Grossman, the real estate agent for the building that housed the florist, could not be reached to determine who the landlord was.”That florist (closing) was a shocker,” said one former customer, who said the flower shop was known for its $15 bouquets. “I was surprised.”Also closed within the last few months on the strip are a greeting card store across the street from the florist as well as The Frozen Cup, an ice cream parlor at 249-05 Jamaica Ave. that had signs saying it was closed for the winter before it put up a for sale sign.Mike Augugliaro said there were rumors that a 7 Eleven or other stores with apartments above the merchants would replace The Frozen Cup.He said there was speculation about a hotel being built to replace Answer Vending, which sold vending machines and closed within the past few months, on Jericho Turnpike.A real estate business adjacent to Trattoria Lucia, an Italian restaurant at 247-63 Jericho Turnpike that opened in 2005, also shut its doors. The restaurant recently bought the building housing the real estate company in a move to expand.Taste of Jamaica, a Jamaican restaurant on Jericho Turnpike, another businesses to close on the Bellerose strip.Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 173.
