Abdulilah Esa traffics in heroes. As the owner of Bay Ridge’s Galaxy Comics, Esa makes a living off the exploits of caped crusaders, spandex-wearers, and planeswalkers. But now in the era of COVID-19, Esa finds himself relying on community donations to stay solvent, and in dire need of a different type of heroics.
“Small businesses like mine are struggling because of coronavirus, and the relief that’s available just isn’t enough,” Esa said. “We’re counting on government leaders to act.”
And act they did. State Sen. Andrew Gounardes (D-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, Gravesend, Gerritsen Beach, Manhattan Beach, Marine Park), City Councilmember Justin Brannan (D-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach), and Assemblymember Peter J. Abbate (D-Borough Park, Bath Beach, Dyker Heights Sunset Park, Bensonhurst) .all came out to 5th Avenue outside Galaxy Comics yesterday to underscore the importance of keeping small businesses like Esa’s afloat – and to paint a grim picture of a potential future without these local establishments.
“What we really need is a comprehensive approach to make sure these small businesses survive,” Abbate told the crowd.
He likens the stores on thoroughfares like 5th Avenue to dominos. If even one falls, Abbate’s metaphor goes, the chain reaction could run down the entire sector, until all the small businesses are gone – and with them, Brooklyn’s essential character.
“These neighborhoods are unique because of our small businesses,” said Brannan. “Without them, we’d be Anytown, USA. They’re not struggling because of their business model, or because people aren’t buying comic books – they’re struggling because of an extraordinary set of global circumstances.”
“But landlords,” Brannan added, “are in denial about that.”
Many small businesses (including Galaxy Comics) are behind on their rent and are being kept from eviction by a rent moratorium. The moratorium is due to expire in early September, although many elected officials (including Brannan and Gounardes that Monday) have called for an extension.
Gounardes has gone beyond that, though, introducing a bill in the state senate (S.8853) which would “require business interruption insurance offered to small businesses and/or not-for profits of 250 or less employees to cover disease outbreaks,” and a second which would bail these businesses out (S.8211A). He’s also signed onto a bill proposed by State Sen. Brian Kavanagh (D-Northern Brooklyn, Lower Manhattan) that would incentivize property owners to cut their commercial tenants some slack in the midst of this pandemic.
Gounardes says measures like these are sorely necessary not merely to keep small businesses afloat, but to save lives.
“This is not just some hashtagged slogan. This is not some high in the sky idea,” Gounardes said. “This is life or death.”
Randy Peers, president of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, assented. According to him, nearly half of Brooklyn’s workforce is employed by small businesses.
“Bay Ridge is a typical South Brooklyn community that serves as a lifeline to our economy,” Peers said. He called for a series of “creative solutions” – starting with extending the aforementioned moratoria.
And of course, while government action will go a long way in keeping these small businesses afloat, so will community engagement. Galaxy Comics is still alive in no small part due to community donations; while that’s no substitute for real rent relief, the public’s support will be crucial in making sure these local establishments are still standing, even after COVID.
“Invest in your local communities, not the multinational companies that have made millions off of this pandemic,” Gounardes said.
As for Galaxy Comics itself, Gounardes half-jokingly proposed a more direct economic recovery plan.
“Everyone here has to buy at least five comics, okay?”
