You are reading

Small Biz Shopping Crawl to Take Place in Astoria This Weekend, Customers Could Win Latest Apple Watch

A poster for the Shop Small Astoria shopping crawl (Shop Small Astoria Instagram)

Nov. 24, 2021 By Michael Dorgan

Astoria residents will get a chance to win the latest Apple Watch if they take part in a “shopping crawl” at local stores in the neighborhood this holiday weekend.

Customers who shop at 10 or more participating small businesses in Astoria will be entered into a draw to win an Apple Watch Series 7.

Shop Small Astoria, a group that promotes local businesses, is organizing the event that will take place from Nov. 26 through Nov. 29.

The promotion is centered around a “passport,” available at any of the 27 participating stores. Shoppers are encouraged to get the passport stamped by a store when they spend at least $10 on goods.

Customers can then submit their passport to enter the draw where they will also automatically win a “swag bag” filled with goodies and coupons.

Nicole Panettieri, who established the event seven years ago, said the 2021 shopping crawl comes at a time when businesses are looking to bounce back from the economic downturn. Panettieri owns The Brass Owl boutique, located at 36-19 Ditmars Blvd.

“[This year] feels extra special… We’ve made it through a hard time and we are still here thanks to the support of our community,” Panettieri said.

The business owner said she initially came up with the concept in order to bring local businesses together and to promote the neighborhood as a shopping destination.

All of the participating stores are independently owned and include clothing stores, bookshops, a florist as well as arts and crafts stores, Panettieri said.

Many participating stores will feature additional promotions, giveaways and deals, she said.

Customers need to drop off their completed passport at The Brass Owl no later than Nov. 30.

For more information, click here.

The 27 participating businesses are listed below:

  1. Anoria Boutique
    The Astoria Bookshop
    The Brass Owl
    Broadway Silk
    Chateau Le Woof
    Disco Paws
    Dozo Dog
    Earth & Me
    Fern Botanica
    Gamestoria NYC
    Gift Box
    Hellenic Aesthetic
    HiFi Records & Cafe
    Incasa Decor
    Lockwood Gift
    Lockwood Paper
    Lockwood Style
    LoveDay 31
    NewtownHQ
    NYC Pet Services
    Petals & Roots
    QED
    QNS Collaborative
    Queens Craft Brigade
    The Regal Beagle
    Side B
    Tom’s Pet Supply

email the author: [email protected]

One Comment

Click for Comments 
Larry Penner

Celebrate Small Business Saturday, November 27th every day of the year.

Small independent businesses are at the mercy of suppliers, especially third party brokers, who control the price they have to pay for merchandise. There are additional costs of sanitizing the store and providing protection to employees, who deal with the public during this ongoing health emergency.

I don’t mind occasionally paying a little more to help our local stores survive. The employees go out of their way to help find what I need. Customer service is their motto. As an independent mom and pop store, they don’t have bulk buying purchasing power that Amazon or large national chain stores have. The owners can’t negotiate lower prices from suppliers . This is why they sometimes charge a little more. It is worth the price to avoid the crowds and long lines at larger stores in exchange for the convenience and friendly service your neighborhood community store offers.

These people are our neighbors. Our local entrepreneurs have continued the good fight to keep their existing staff and suppliers employed without layoffs and canceling product or supply orders. They work long hours, pay taxes and keep many employed.

Customers also patronize other commercial establishments on the block. Foot traffic is essential for the survival of neighborhood commercial district. If we don’t patronize our local community stores and restaurants to shop and eat, they don’t eat either. This helps keep our neighbors employed and the local economy growing.

The owners of independent mom and pop stores are the backbone of our neighborhood commercial districts. Thank the hard working owners and employees who continue to work during these hard times. Show your support by making a purchase.

Stop by your favorite store and also drop off a box of candy or cookies as a show of appreciation. Something sweet for the holidays helps take the edge off the stress we all face.

Larry Penner

Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Queens DA, elected officials highlight recent scams targeting older adults, add advice on self-protection

Two days after Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced she had brought charges against a Flushing man for scamming more than $600,000 from seniors across the country, her office hosted a presentation at the Ridgewood Older Adult Center on Mar. 12 to coach participants on how they can avoid being victims of similar schemes.

“Education is key to preventing fraudulent activity, particularly among the senior population,” Katz said. “To this end, my office has been actively engaging with senior centers across the borough, providing insights on the warning signs of common scams.”

Northeast Queens house burglar remains at large nearly a month after breaking into two homes: NYPD

Police from the 109th Precinct in Flushing are still searching for a man who broke into two homes last month in Kew Gardens Hills and Murray Hill, making off with more than $10,000 in cash and jewelry.

The burglar first struck on the evening of Monday, Feb. 26, when he entered a private residence near 138th Street and 62nd Avenue in Kew Gardens Hills, just two blocks south of the Long Island Expressway. The suspect broke into the home by breaking a rear window at around 7 p.m. Once inside, he allegedly removed jewelry valued at approximately $2,000 before running off in an unknown direction, police said.

Queens cop indicted in fatal collision that killed a construction worker on Grand Central Parkway last April: AG

A city cop from Jamaica was arrested on Friday and booked at the 102nd Precinct in Richmond Hill, where he was charged with manslaughter and other crimes for a fatal collision last April.

NYPD Officer Paul Tyler, 24, was arraigned hours later in Queens Supreme Court on an indictment charging him with manslaughter, and criminally negligent homicide for allegedly striking a highway construction worker on the Grand Central Parkway on the morning of Apr. 26, 2023, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced.