September 2021 • Volume 17 • Issue 9
QUEENS CHAMBER NEWS & EVENTS
CHAMBER SPREADS WORD ABOUT WEB SERVICES The Queens Chamber of Commerce partnered with Councilman Peter Koo for a walkabout, visiting a number of businesses in Flushing and informing them of resources available through the organization. Among the resources discussed was the Queens Chamber’s new “Open+Online” program, which helps businesses build a new website and assists in SEO (search engine optimization) free of charge. “The pandemic changed shopping patterns for small business in many ways,” said Koo. “There was a major shift toward online shopping, so we want to make sure our businesses know about the chamber’s capacity to help build websites for our community free of charge. Customers are coming back, and we want to make sure our businesses have every available resource at their disposal so they too can come back and thrive in this post-pandemic economy.”
Beginning at Bland Playground on the corner of Prince Street and 40th Road, the tour made its way up 40th Road to Flushing’s bustling Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue. “Small businesses are the lifeblood of neighborhoods like Flushing, but they’ve had an incredibly challenging year-and-a-half due to the pandemic,” said Thomas Grech, president and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce. “Our Open+Online program can help businesses get back on their feet and thrive in the post-pandemic economy.” Open+Online is offered through the NYC Small Business Resource Network. Powered by the Peter G Peterson Foundation and the Partnership for New York City, the NYC SBRN provides personalized guidance and assistance to small businesses through each borough’s Chamber of Commerce.
Councilman Peter Koo and Queens Chamber CEO & President Thomas Grech speak with Flushing BID Executive Director Dian Song Yu and business owner Jim Dong. “Online presence is important for small businesses to thrive,” added Dian Song Yu, executive director of Flushing BID. “Especially during this pandemic era, a website
can serve as a key communication channel between merchants and consumers, allowing businesses to operate more efficiently and broaden their customer base.”
Learn more about SBRN at nycsmallbusinessresourcenetwork.org.
Pictured from left to right are Flushing BID Executive Director Dian Song Yu, Flushing business owner Jim Dong, Councilman Peter Koo, Queens Chamber CEO & President Tom Grech, Michelle Watson, Tech Specialist with SBRN/Queens Chamber of Commerce, and Jessie He, Business Recovery Specialist with SBRN/Queens Chamber of Commerce.
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