Merchants say bricks, not clicks

Businesses join elected leaders to encourage local shopping

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The Nassau County Council of Chambers of Commerce has launched its “Main Street” and “Shop Local” initiatives to encourage Long Islanders to consider their own downtowns when deciding where to shop for the holidays.

Council President Francesca Carlow made the impassioned plea at the Nassau Hobby Center, a family-owned business that has been in Freeport for 72 years. “Support the business that helps support our quality of life here on Long Island,” Carlow said. “The money spent on Long Island stays on Long Island.” The mission, according to Carlow, is to keep sales tax dollars on the Island and local brick-and-mortar small businesses open.

The event also welcomed a number of Nassau County chambers of commerce, along with Village of Freeport, town, county and state officials. Richard Kessel, of Merrick, chairman of the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency, announced that the county was helping with the effort to encourage local shopping by investing $45,000 in a promotional campaign urging residents to support Nassau’s economy by supporting small businesses across the county.

“It’s about small, it’s about local,” Kessel said.

County Clerk Maureen O’Connell announced a countywide effort to provide veterans with discounts at a number of businesses that will display stickers detailing the discounts.

“We have a myriad of shops and brick-and-mortar businesses across Nassau County,” Carlow said. “Do not let your clicks overcome your visits to the bricks.”