Chamber Hosts “Shop Small” Press Conference at Sweet Life Bakeshop
By Dom Provenzano, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce
On Thursday, November 17, the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce and several members of the Staten Island small business community gathered at the Sweet Life Bakeshop with one message ahead of the holiday season: Shop Small.
The event was part of the Chamber’s annual efforts to encourage Staten Islanders to shop local during the holiday season.
“67 cents of every dollar spent in a small business stays in the local community,” said Linda Baran, President and CEO of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce. “This year, it’s more important than ever to shop small, through Small Business Saturday and beyond.”
Dom Provenzano, Marketing and Communications Manager at the Chamber of Commerce, spoke on behalf of the Sweet Life Bakeshop, which is owned by his parents. “Although the worst of the pandemic is behind us, inflation and the looming prospect of a recession continue to complicate the future of small businesses. Behind every small business, there are families like my own that pour their hearts into everything they do.”
“Plus, small businesses contribute to the vibrancy of our community,” said Provenzano. “On this street alone, businesses like Costello’s Ace Hardware, Williams Eye Works, Joe & Pat’s, Lil M Bubble Tea, Cake Chef, Objects of Interest, Alfonso’s, and the Sweet Life Bakeshop make this neighborhood a wonderful place to live, work, and shop.”
Joining the Chamber was Uma Ahmad (Wagner College), Lauren Giordanella (NYC Small Business Solutions), Frank Naso (The Naso Organization), Chris Williams (Williams Eye Works), and Alex Ziselman (A2Z Travel). Grace and Gene Provenzano, owners of the Sweet Life Bakeshop, also participated in the event.
Small Business Saturday is on Saturday, November 26. The Chamber also plugged its online store, Shop Staten Island, which hosts dozens of small businesses. The service is offering free shipping to Staten Islanders through the end of the year, courtesy of Amazon.
“Today, products from small and medium-sized businesses account for more than half of everything sold in Amazon’s store,” said Carley Graham Garcia, Amazon’s NYC head of External Affairs, ahead of the press conference. “Their success is our success and we’re proud of the role we’ve played in helping so many small businesses thrive. Shop Staten Island is another innovative channel for local entrepreneurs to reach more customers, scale their operations, and create local jobs and we’re pleased to support this initiative.”
The Chamber also debuted their new Staten Island “Neighborhood Tour” t-shirts and hoodies. Both products are available now on the online store, and ship instantly. To start shopping, visit https://statenisland.shopwhereilive.com/.
Photos by Gabriella Pappalardo, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce.
