Maggie Reilly, owner of Bazaar Mairead.
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With the thermometer hunkered at 35 degrees and the toll on the nearby Tappan Zee Bridge now at $5, Piermont”™s small businesses plug along in the gloomy economy, innovating and fighting to prosper.
When Bonnie Chipin opened Abigail Rose, a women”™s clothing store that is “known for our beautiful accessories” 23 years ago, it was the only clothing store in town.
Now, there are six clothing stores.
“We kind of have to divide up the business, and that has made it hard,” Chipin said.
And with the economy down the tubes, Chipin believes the rents in Piermont reflect a more prosperous time and should be adjusted downward to reflect the current reality.
“The economy is affecting everyone in town, but we”™re trying to be positive,” Chipin said.
To help drum up business in the slower winter months, Chipin is offering post-holiday sales of up to 50 percent off.
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Alfred Ginsberg, co-owner of AB Artisans jewelry store.
Five years ago, Stephen Lopatkin, owner of the 17-year-old business Piermont Bicycle Connection on Ash Street, found an innovative way to keep business going, even when bike sales are down in the winter off-season.
“You gather your stuff that”™s been piling up around the house, it could be bicycle related or not, and you bring it into me and I”™m going to sell it on e-Bay,” Lopatkin said.
There are two ways it can go: the customer can pay a 10 percent fee to cover expenses for listing and shipping the item and receive store credit for the amount of the sale, or customers can opt to pay a standard e-Bay seller fee of 35 percent.
“Most people elect to take the store credit,” Lopatkin said. “We have customers who have a $10,000 or $15,000 store credit, and they”™ll come in and buy the bike of their dreams and not have to spend any money. And they got rid of clutter around the house.”
The store ships an average of 75 to 100 packages every day. Any unsold items (Lopatkin has a couple of unwanted “Archie” figurines and an M&M dispenser lying around the store) are donated to the local thrift shop.
For restaurants in Piermont, outdoor seating drums up business in the warmer months.
“We had a very good summer, but since September, business has just been OK,” said Daout Celestin, co-owner of Sidewalk Bistro, a French restaurant that opened in May. “January, February and March will be the toughest times we”™ll have to face.”
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Alan, the chef at Sidewalk Bistro.
Celestin said he is optimistic about the future of the restaurant, but he is leaving nothing to luck. He is planning various culinary events and “bring your own wine” nights at the restaurant this winter.
Maggie Reilly, owner of Bazaar Mairead on Piermont Avenue, sells “things from around the world” including jewelry, furniture and textiles.
“It”™s a beautiful town, but business has really dropped off a lot,” Reilly, who has owned the store for 16 years, said.
Reilly is starting to offer knitting and crocheting lessons to draw people in “and to be busy when it”™s quiet.”
Alfred Ginsberg owns AB Artisans, a fine estate and custom jewelry store, with his wife, Benita.
Ginsberg said there has been a slight drop-off in street traffic recently.
“The town has been a little quiet,” Ginsberg said. “This is definitely a nice weather town, and when the weather is bad, people don”™t come out as much.”
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