Lifelong Ridgeite founds Bay Ridge Department of Tourism

No one knows and loves Bay Ridge more than lifetime Bay Ridge resident and business owner Justin Brannan.

As the founder and sole member of the brand new Bay Ridge Department of Tourism, Brannan is dedicated to attracting as many visitors and potential residents as possible and advertising all that the south Brooklyn neighborhood has to offer.

“The Bay Ridge Department of Tourism is really dedicated to promoting Bay Ridge as the vibrant, diverse and inclusive neighborhood that it truly is,” said Brannan. “In addition to four and a half miles of cool ocean breeze waterfront for walking or biking, we’ve got 100 acres of parkland, some of the best public schools in the city, an almost non-existent crime rate, New York City’s only active Army base, stunning views of the sunset and the Verrazano Bridge, avenues upon avenues bustling with small mom and pop shops, and some of the best restaurants around.”

The Ridgeite’s first plan of action is to work with real estate brokers to put together a “Welcome to Bay Ridge” packet so that people visiting or moving into the neighborhood can get an “insider’s guide to what’s what,” according to Brannan. 

The Bay Ridge guide will allow people to find everything from “the nearest church, synagogue or mosque to the best place to get a bagel and or falafel after midnight. And then of course the closest place to find a bottle of antacid after that,” noted Brannan.

Brannan says he also intends to highlight Bay Ridge’s history of community service and volunteerism, making it known that “It’s the foundation of civic pride and engagement that remains so important to this day and keeps the neighborhood so unique.”

The Bay Ridge Department of Tourism is expected to be up and running by the fall.

Photo by Teri Brennan
Photo by Teri Brennan

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