New Hyde Park Chamber Offers Help to Businesses During Tough TImes

Everyone is struggling in the economy these days. Just take a stroll down any main street in a town and there are more than likely a few vacant stores lining the road.

In New Hyde Park, has been doing everything they can to give their members the publicity they need to stay afloat.

There are roughly 2,000 businesses in the town, which includes New Hyde Park as well as Lake Success. Out of those 2,000, only 200 are currently members of the chamber.

The only requirements to be a chamber member is that the business has to be in the community or the owner has a business elsewhere but lives in New Hyde Park.

Chamber president Mark Laytin believes New Hyde Park is one of the better towns to own a business in right now.

“As far as vacancies go, I think New Hyde Park isn’t nearly as bad as some other towns,” he said. “New Hyde Park is an old established community, so people buy locally. We have a solid retail core and good access space. We’re near so much public transportation.”

And though they can’t do anything to directly combat the vacancies that are still around, what they do try to do is push their local businesses as much as possible.

“When you join the Chamber, we really try to help increase business,” Laytin said. “You get put in our directory, listed on the site, can go to networking sessions and get recognized at community events. It gives you a voice.”

Some of the events businesses get featured in are the New Hyde Park street fair this Saturday, where members of the chamber get free exhibits and a chance to hand out promotional goodie bags, the Lions Club golf outing in October, where they raise money for charities and scholarships, a display at the charity run Katie’s Run and representation at the Memorial Day Parade.

While the Chamber doesn’t force businesses to join, they highly encourage them to look into the idea.

“You earn your living in the community,” Laytin said. “So why not be a member?”