Important Message From Third Avenue Association

To our Merchants and Friends:

As we find ourselves in this critical ever changing environment, the volunteer officers of the Merchants of Third Avenue Association in conjunction with the Business Improvement District Steering Committee have been meeting to discuss how best to assist the Avenue stakeholders. We apologize for the delay in getting this out — we wanted to vet information and ensure we are sharing the best possible resources. Because of the continuing developments in the fight against the COVID-19 virus, the advice and information available at this moment could change in the blink of an eye. With that in mind, the Association and the Steering Committee has developed the following plan:

We will aggregate and disseminate the most current information we can gather from a variety of sources including the New York City Small Business Services [SBS],  the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, the information coming out of the 76 NYC BIDS and the information coming from our elected officials. Click HERE for that information;

We have conferred with the LITTLER law firm who has spoken to our group in the past about labor law to obtain advice on navigating the most current employment law changes to make sure employers are in compliance and our employees are obtaining the benefits they are entitled to; we will share this information as it comes to us;

We will advocate and have already advocated for fast tracked benefits from our legislators stripped of red tape and bureaucratic requirements; In the meantime, please take a look at available resources on our website ;

We will encourage residents and community members to support Third Avenue businesses in whatever way they can — HERE is a list of suggested ways to do so ;

We will share professional advice from our merchants who are engaged in the areas of insurance, law, and finance on our Facebook page and website — coming in the next few days ; 

We will act as a clearing house for  tips and hints [and maybe  some funny or uplifting stories] from our retailers and food service operators. Make sure you are following us on social media so we can stay connected: @merchantsof3rdave -IG ;      and  https://www.facebook.com/ThirdAvenueBayRidge/ ;

We will expand our social media for merchants so they can market and post their  new hours and type of operation. Email us at bayridge3asteering@gmail.com with this info;

This is a decisive period for our avenue and the Association volunteers will, as they have for the past 26 years, work to keep the avenue the hub of neighborhood activity.

Best and Stay safe,

Robert Howe