de Blasio celebrates grand opening of 2,000th food establishment to open with assistance from NYC Business Acceleration

The de Blasio administration unveiled the grand opening of Emeline's, the 2,000th new food and beverage establishment to open with the support of the Department of Small Business Services' NYC Business Acceleration services. NYC Business Acceleration helps businesses open their doors faster by guiding them through government licensing, permitting and compliance, and providing support, should any problems arise in the process. The program has helped 2,000 businesses to date, creating a total of 31,400 employment opportunities in the process. Those businesses that have taken advantage of the program have opened an average of 33% faster, or 75 days earlier than businesses that did not use the service. The administration also revealed expansion of NYC Business Acceleration services to retail and industrial businesses, making the program available to more than 60,000 additional businesses across the city, as well as new daycares participating in the mayor's Universal Pre-Kindergarten program. A family-owned diner in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, Emeline's worked with the Department of Small Business Services to open 80 days faster than they would have without the city services, creating eight new jobs, and a new, sit-down dining option in the neighborhood. NYC Business Acceleration provides businesses with one-on-one counseling and access to direct information to guide them through government licensing, permitting and licensing. By coordinating with City agencies, including the Department of Consumer Affairs, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Department of Buildings, FDNY, Landmarks and Preservation Commission, Department of Environmental Protection, and the Department of City Planning, NYC Business Acceleration is a one-stop shop for business owners to navigate government requirements. To better serve the specific needs of retail, industrial and manufacturing establishments, as well as Industrial Business Support Providers, NYC Business Acceleration will additionally work closely with the Department of Sanitation, the Environmental Control Board (ECB), and the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs. This expansion will also include increased outreach about new and existing NYC Business Acceleration services to boroughs outside Manhattan, in addition to the nearly 80,000 businesses SBS currently reaches with information regarding free business services. "Small businesses like Emeline's drive our neighborhood economies across the city, and it is our responsibility to provide them with the resources and support to get off the ground quicker," said Mayor Bill de Blasio. "I am thrilled to see the NYC Business Acceleration services expand to include retail and industrial businesses, and I urge all small business owners and aspiring small business owners to use the City's services to help start and grow their businesses and cut through the red tape in the process." "NYC Business Acceleration brings government's complex regulatory processes under one roof to help businesses navigate the rules and regulations and open their doors faster," said Maria Torres-Springer, Commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services. "Expanding NYC Business Acceleration to retail and industrial businesses, and creating new online opportunities, will help even more businesses start, operate, and grow in New York City, and I thank our partner agencies for working with us to make these services possible. A warm congratulations to Emeline's on their grand opening, and the City looks forward to assisting you with a variety of free services as you continue to grow and serve Brooklyn." "Congratulations to Emeline's on their grand opening and to Small Business Services for not only helping 1,999 other restaurants open faster and easier, but also for expanding the NYC Business Acceleration program to include retail stores," said Julie Menin, Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Affairs. "As a former small business owner, I know how difficult it can be to navigate the many different requirements needed to get up and running and this team brings together everything a new business needs to know from the City in one place. We are proud to have already trained and to be working with SBS staff on sidewalk cafe licensing and regulation and, with the expansion, we will be assigning an inspector to consult on what DCA inspectors look for at retail stores and to conduct business walkthroughs." "The FDNY is proud to be one of the many agencies helping the City's economy grow through NYC Business Acceleration Services," said Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro. "Together, we are quickly launching new businesses and still upholding the high standards of fire safety that protect business owners, customers and first responders." "The opening of Emeline's as the 2000th business to participate in the NYC Business Acceleration services program demonstrates the benefits that can be realized when agencies work collaboratively to make government more efficient for all New Yorkers," said Thomas Fariello, Acting Commissioner of the Department of Buildings. "This is a significant milestone towards creating a more transparent and user-friendly permitting process that will help unburden start-up businesses. I look forward to seeing Emeline's succeed, and will continue to ensure the Department of Buildings is responsive and supportive to all the New Yorkers we serve every day." "The Brooklyn brand has never been better, and Emeline's Diner is sure to be its next success story, enhancing Bedford-Stuyvesant's growing reputation as a dining destination. As Emeline's demonstrates, our borough has benefited greatly from the work of the Department of Small Business Services and NYC Business Acceleration, which arm entrepreneurs with the tools they need to navigate the uncertainty and challenge of starting a new venture. I look forward to their expanded role in assisting our retail and industrial businesses, two sectors that are critical to maintaining Brooklyn's boom," said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. "NYC Business Acceleration is a great example of what our City can do to support the development and success of the types of businesses we rely on to create jobs for all New Yorkers. I'm so happy to offer my congratulations to Emeline's and to applaud the expansion of this approach to retail, industrial and manufacturing businesses. I look forward to seeing this diner, in the heart of my beloved Bedford-Stuyvesant, grow and flourish," said Council Member Robert E. Cornegy, Jr., Chair of the City Council's Committee on Small Business. "Nothing could be more 'Brooklyn' than a diner opening in Bed-Stuy named in honor of a daughter of Weeksville," said Carlo A. Scissura, President & CEO Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. "The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and its nearly 1800 members applaud the efforts of Linda DeJesus and the entire team on their opening. As well as our gratitude to the de Blasio administration and the Department of Small Business Services' Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer and her NYC Business Acceleration team that tirelessly worked to make sure Bed-Stuy residents can enjoy a delicious meal that is truly 'Brooklyn-Made.'" "Thanks to the assistance of the Department of Small Business Services, we were able to create Emeline's historical significance in Brooklyn," said Linda DeJesus, Co-Owner of Emeline's. "Emeline was born in Weeksville, Brooklyn in 1899, and Uncle Charles' dream of honoring his mother, establishing a family business, and a family legacy in Brooklyn, has now become a reality." About the Department of Small Business Services' NYC Business Acceleration Services: NYC Business Acceleration makes it easier and faster for businesses to open their doors by streamlining the regulatory process, guiding business owners through government licensing, and permitting, and helping resolve other problems that arise. Services include free one-on-one support from a client manager and direct access to information necessary to open and operate efficiently in compliance with City regulations. With the expansion of services, NYC Business Acceleration will help retail, industrial and manufacturing businesses, and Industrial Business Support Providers, as well.