Small shops feeling the rush in East Rockaway, Lynbrook

Local business owners rely on holiday shoppers

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As he flipped through a seemingly endless order sheet, local business owner John Corella flashed a smile. “I’m gonna be busy next week,” he said.

Corella opened Cooked to Perfection, a store that offers cooking lessons to patrons and also serves up homemade soup and baked goods, on Main Street in East Rockaway last December.

He said he was going to make nearly 300 pies for his customers in the days leading up to the holiday. Corella grew up in Oceanside, but now lives and works in East Rockaway. Although his store is relatively new, Corella said most of his customers have become regulars and will rely on him for their Thanksgiving dessert this year.

A former chef, Corella was inspired by his mother Phyllis, 75, to open his store. Phyllis is a great cook, according to Corella, and a former owner of a culinary school who enjoys sharing her talents with people. When Corella retired, he opened up his business to continue his mother’s mission of teaching people about cooking. Now, his mother helps around his store, doing a lot of the paperwork.

While business is thriving for Corella, that isn’t the case for some of the shops on Main Street. Several storefronts that once housed local businesses are now vacant with “For Rent” signs lining their windows. Island Gold Fine Jewelry, GOLO Discount and the East Rockaway Music Center — which shuttered their doors in October after nearly 30 years — are just a few of the places out of business. The Harbor Professional Center, further north on Main Street, also has many vacancies.

The closings are a reminder of how important it is to support area businesses, according to Corella. “It keeps that small-world feeling here in East Rockaway and other little villages like this,” Corella said about the importance of shopping and dining locally. “It keeps that community spirit alive … Unfortunately on this block, we’ve had some closures. That was huge. The traffic on the block has certainly slowed down a little bit. Hopefully the stores will fill up again soon.”

Jennifer Derrig, who owns the Lynbrook Irish Shop on Hendrickson Avenue, said this time of year drives her business.

“You make your money in November and December,” Derrig said. “The rest of the year, you’re basically just status quo, making enough to chug along. You depend on the holidays.” Derrig’s shop was one of the neighborhood businesses participating in Small Business Saturday, a holiday shopping event that encourages patrons to support their small, local businesses on Nov. 26.

Derrig lives in Lynbrook with her husband, Andrew, their son, Andrew Jr., and their daughter, Keira. Both of her children attend Lynbrook High School and help out in the shop. Derrig said that she started her business online and then opened a physical store — something she called a “reverse business model.” It all began when she and Andrew inherited a cottage in Ireland from her father-in-law and started renting it online. After that, Derrig started the Irish Jewelry Company, an online-only retailer that sells various Ireland-inspired pieces.

After the jewelry business proved successful, Derrig purchased what is now the Lynbrook Irish Shop in 2009 and bought a house in town. While she also sells items online, Derrig said that she faces competition at this time of year. “Amazon kills everybody,” she said with a laugh.

Even with many competitors, though, Derrig said that she’s been able to implement strategies to keep her business alive, and it’s the close-knit relationship she has with her customers and the community that gives her an edge. “Local shops give back the most to the community,” she said. “We’re the people who step up to donate to PTA fundraisers and local charity events. It’s very important to keep the dollars in the community so we can continue to afford to support the community and give back to them in various events like that.”

This neighborhood spirit is also felt next door at the Olde Pop Shop, which owner Phyllis Carluccio described as an “old time candy store with a modern twist.”

Carluccio runs the store with her husband, Mario, who purchased the shop in 2009. It has been a staple of Lynbrook since the original proprietors, the Matteson family, opened the business in 1953. Though the ownership has changed hands many times, Carluccio said it’s important to keep places such as the Olde Pop Shop in the community.

“You don’t find these kind of candy stores anymore where kids come in and it’s a safe haven for them,” Carluccio said. “If they’re short money, we’ll flip it for them. It’s just that kind of store.”

While her husband is from Queens, Carluccio said she is a Lynbrook High School graduate and vividly remembers visiting the store as a child. She said she used to purchase Bazooka gum for a penny and three pretzel rods for a nickel.

After Mario bought the store, some changes were made, including upgrades to the counters and floors. Posters and a huge disco ball adorn the ceiling of the shop, which offers candy, lottery tickets, gifts, posters, balloons and memorabilia. The Olde Pop Shop also has begun selling some of their items online to stay competitive, especially around the holidays.

Carluccio said she’s constantly comparing competitor price points and that she’s developed friendly relationships with her customers. She even allows regulars to keep a running tab.

“It’s kind of like that ‘Cheers’ thing,” Carluccio said, referring to the sitcom that aired from 1982-93. “Everybody knows your name. This is part of Lynbrook’s history. It goes back generations and generations.”