With fur flying through the air as she coaxes her client to stay still, Carol Stipeck goes about her daily routine, armed with a pair of clippers and a warm smile.
Her first customer of the day paces about on the tabletop, patiently waiting beneath a spotlight for Stipeck’s next move. Cages – some modestly decorated and painted with vibrant colors – line the back wall
The Canine Club is one of the many merchants involved in a new advertising and sales program intended to support local businesses sponsored by the Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District (BID). Sunnyside Shines provides numerous services focused on the improvement and maintenance of the community, including holiday lighting and sanitation.
“They’re doing great community service,” said Stipeck, while patting the store’s main attraction, an ample cat named Patrick. Stipeck, 70, manages and runs the 43-year-old Canine Club Dog Grooming, where she has worked for over 30 years. The Canine Club is a member of the BID.
Thirty five local merchants are presently involved in the Sunnyside Shines coupon and advertisement incentive introduced in early 2009. James Bray, 23, director of the BID, reissued the program on December 15 and has since sent the weekly coupons out to consumers via The Woodside Herald and email.
“We want to boost local businesses and it’s a win-win for all. It’s free advertising and it serves as a reminder to consumers,” said Bray. “We’d like it to be so that when people are shopping, they’ll expect to get coupons every week and go to their neighborhood stores.”
Sunnyside Shines caters to over two hundred businesses, both small and corporate, and since their inception in April 2008, they’ve contributed to the progress of the community’s economy through marketing, promotion, and advocacy with government agencies.
Plans are still in the works for future initiatives, such as greening the streets and further securing local employment. Any help received from the district is appreciated, as the stimulation of economic growth is a pressing concern of many businesses in Sunnyside.
“Last year was the worst year for us in 27 years,” said Michael Perez, 47, owner of King Boulevard Men’s Shop on Greenpoint Avenue. “We definitely feel the economy coming down hard.”
According to Perez, the coupons haven’t been drawing in extra revenue, but he attributes it to the fact that the program has just been reintroduced.
Citywide, Queens has one of the lowest rates of unemployment at 9 percent, according the 2009 Fiscal Policy Institute report. Northwest Queens is at 8.3 percent including Sunnyside. Sunnyside Shines is attempting to keep it at a low and currently reaches out with their promotions to over one hundred businesses in order to help the neighborhood.
“My job is so rewarding,” said Stipeck, “I hope this will help the steady generations of customers in Sunnyside.”
