The Church Avenue BID, a business resource group representing Brooklyn merchants in Flatbush who want to improve, expand or reposition their businesses, will host a series of events from July 2013 to June 2014 as part of their ongoing Caribbean-themed campaign.
The year-long campaign focuses on the strong Caribbean influence on Church Avenue.
“We never focused on the Caribbean population enough,” said Lauren Collins, executive director of the BID. “We wanted to pay tribute to the Caribbean culture that we rely on so much and the people who spend so much of their time in the BID area.“
The initiative continues with a street fair set for April, which promises a taste of the Caribbean from local restaurants, along with other exciting programming, including Make Music NY in conjunction with the BID. It also includes a music event on June 21, while “Sidewalk Sales” are in effect rom June 20-22. “Sidewalk Sales” presents an opportunity for BID merchants to sell their goods on sidewalks throughout the BID area.
“We have things on Church Avenue that people can’t find anywhere else. We have a lot of stores that have hard-to-find Caribbean products in a consolidated space,“ said Collins. That selling point was one of many that inspired her to launch the campaign.
The BID campaign kicked-off with the distribution of a Caribbean-themed 2014 calendar featuring 2013 West Indian American Day Carnival Association masqueraders from Antoine International, Ayiti Dous, Inc., D’ Midas International, Devine Mas Camp, Evolution Mas and Phoenix Refined at various businesses within the BID, including Richie Rich Restaurant, Palm Jewelry and Meat Palace Supreme.
This past summer, the Church Avenue BID distributed sale circulars throughout the district for revelers getting prepped for the Labor Day Carnival; and the BID’s August circular — a go-to guide for everything masqueraders and party-goers may need for Labor Day weekend. The BID also distributed holiday circulars hlighting Caribbean products, store discounts and shopping locations.
“I hope to reach people who do not know about Church Avenue businesses and what they offer, as well as those who forgot about it,“ said Collins.
“I want people to come to the Church Avenue BID [businesses] even if it’s out of their way,” Collins said, adding that the group’s overall goal is “to continue to attract visitors and promote the merchants’ goods and services.”
