PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Jessica Walker, President and CEO of Manhattan Chamber of Commerce
2:24:34
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132 sec
Jessica Walker, President and CEO of Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, testified about the challenges faced by Manhattan businesses post-COVID and the initiatives undertaken by her organization to support small businesses and revitalize commercial corridors.
- Half of the surveyed businesses reported worse performance and fewer customers compared to pre-pandemic levels
- The Manhattan Chamber of Commerce launched a storefront resurgence project to drive foot traffic, reduce vacancies, and support new brick-and-mortar businesses
- Walker expressed support for art activations as a means to draw critical foot traffic and help stabilize businesses
Jessica Walker
2:24:34
Hi.
2:24:34
I'm Jessica Walker.
2:24:35
I'm the president and CEO of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce.
2:24:40
We represent the business community in the borough.
2:24:43
Businesses both large and small.
2:24:46
As you know, since COVID, the highest rates of storefront vacancy have been concentrated in Manhattan.
2:24:51
So we're very concerned about that.
2:24:54
We as a result, we actually launched what we call the storefront resurgence project, which is designed to do 3 things.
2:25:00
It's we want we're trying to drive foot traffic to 2 commercial corridors throughout the barrel.
2:25:05
We're trying to reduce the prolonged store storefront vacancies.
2:25:08
We're trying to support the emergence of the next generation of local brick and mortar businesses that can help to, you know, attract and retain residents, workers, and towards alike throughout throughout their borough.
2:25:20
Our organization also, as part of this, has 5 staff members are doing nothing but going door to door to provide technical assistance and help to small businesses, and some of this work is actually supported by funding through the city council.
2:25:31
So thank you so much.
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We recently launched what we call this retail storefront accelerator to help ecommerce and home based businesses open their 1st brick and mortar stores in Manhattan.
2:25:41
And then as part of the the initiative, we also conduct store base to really try to understand the current state of storefronts.
2:25:49
The last one we did was right after Labor Day.
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We reached out to we've got responses from about 275 storefront businesses in Manhattan, inclusive of restaurants, retail shops, and others.
2:26:00
The vast majority of those surveyed had 10 or fewer employees.
2:26:05
And just wanna let you know that about half of those who were open before COVID, half of those said that they are doing worse or making less revenue than they were before the pandemic.
2:26:16
Half of those also noted that they have fewer customers coming into their businesses, and when the customers do come in, they are spending less.
2:26:25
So I am here today just to let you know how supportive we are of the approach that's being discussed today.
2:26:30
We are fully supportive of the goals of today's hearing art activations, as you know, have the ability to draw on critical foot traffic, which can absolutely be helpful for these businesses and stability of
Erik Bottcher
2:26:41
further further forward.
2:26:42
Thank you.
Jessica Walker
2:26:43
So we are here to to help.
2:26:45
Thank you.
