SoHo, West Village retailers and restaurateurs tell Community Board they need rent relief, safer streets and quicker insurance help

SoHo and West Village small-business owners told a Community Board virtual meeting that rising online sales for some firms have not made up for lost foot traffic, and that unresolved rent bills, slow insurance payouts after looting and uncertainty over reopening rules threaten many businesses’ survival.

The comments came during a Community Board panel on small-business recovery. David Reese, co-owner and founder of 10000 things, said his 30-year jewelry and gift business has seen online demand but still depends on in-person shoppers: "We need to have a store. I don't know if we need to have a store," Reese said, describing the pandemic-era jump in e-commerce and uncertainty about when customers will return to Manhattan. "I think long range, I think the big question is what happens now. Are there people in New York that are walking around shopping? I don't think so. I think the city is empty."

Why it matters: Panelists said short-term federal aid and loan programs helped staff and operations but did not address the largest fixed cost for many: rent. Several owners described tense or stalled landlord negotiations and said deferrals without rent reductions simply push debt into the future. Scott (hospitality owner/operator of member-club and restaurants) warned that for many hospitality businesses the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and other relief are insufficient to cover commercial rents that run into six figures at some locations.

Most important points - E-commerce gains but limited conversion: Suwanna Perry,…