As we approach the holiday season, small businesses are gearing up for what is often their busiest and most lucrative time of year.
Yet many local small businesses are still recovering from the economic damage of COVID-19 regulations, multi-year inflation and a customer base that has less money for spending, notes Eric Alexander, founder of Long Island Main Street Alliance, an organization advocating for downtown areas and small businesses.
“The good news is that over the last 20 years our downtowns have activated ‘Shop Local’ campaigns that drive foot traffic to our Main Street businesses,” Alexander said. “This year for Small Business Saturday, over 40 communities will pull together events, promotional campaigns and other public messages to remind Long Islanders to patronize local shops.”
The “Shop Local” movement continues to grow, demonstrating patrons’ loyalty to their community based businesses.
“These promotions, combined with downtown revitalization investment and housing development, have kept many of them in business through chaotic economic times,” Alexander said.
A prime example of downtown revitalization is Station Yards, a mixed-use, transit-oriented development that’s just steps away from the Ronkonkoma train station.
In the few years since Tritec Real Estate Company developed Station Yards, the bustling complex has attracted thousands of people, both residents and nonresidents alike.
Tracking data to the area reveals that in the first week of August 2024, 2,000 visitors came to 3 Hawkins Avenue, a residential building that also houses Toast Coffee + Kitchen, Vespa Italian Kitchen, Cornucopia Natural Foods and Artemis Speakeasy. In the last week of July 2025, that address brought in 15,000 people, many from the greater Ronkonkoma area and from neighboring Holbrook and Lake Grove, notes Chris Kelly, senior vice president of Tritec.
“It’s really transformed the area,” said Kelly of the 53-acre Station Yards development which, when completed, will include 1,450 residential units, 360,000 square feet of commercial/office space, 190,000 square feet of retail and 60,000 square feet of community space.
In addition to the aforementioned businesses, current tenants also include Great South Bay Brewery, FourLeaf Federal Credit Union, Redefine Meals, Tap Room, The Pink Fin, Catholic Health Urgent Care, Playa Bowls, and Lucharitos. Slated to open soon are Ben & Jerry’s, DIY crafting shop Hammer & Stain, and Hotworx, which is a 24-hour gym.
On Nov. 14, Station Yards will once again partner with the MacArthur Business Alliance, the Ronkonkoma Chamber of Commerce and Sachem High School for their second annual turkey drive. Last year, they donated 117 turkeys and about 2,000 pounds of non-perishables items to Long Island Cares.
“We hope to significantly beat that this year,” Kelly said.
On Dec. 6, Tritec will host its annual tree lighting and the first of its weekly holiday markets on the green at Station Yards, which will include vendors and a mix of live entertainment.
“We do the holiday market every Saturday from 12 Noon to 4 p.m. until Christmas,” said Kelly, noting that they averaged about 2,000 visitors at each of the holiday markets last year. “This year I think the market will be a little better because we’re going to enclose the tents.”
Read the full article in Long Island Business News.
