Membership sought for merchants association
NORTHFIELD — The business of business is booming in Northfield, where both an Economic Development Commission and a merchants association formed last year and are now starting to gain traction.
The number of businesses continues to grow as well. Last year, the city issued 198 mercantile licenses, including 22 for new businesses. That number does not include banks, medical offices and professional services. Another six new ones have been issued so far in 2023.
“We’ve been fortunate to have so many businesses open in Northfield despite the economy,” Councilwoman Caroline Bucci said. “We’re coming out of COVID, everybody is recovering but the economy is not good. We need to work together on how to keep the tax base where it is.”
Bucci said the city EDC formed in June to try to help sustain and improve the business climate throughout the city’s multiple, widespread districts.
“We hope to drive economic growth through strategic planning to support a diversity of employment, create jobs and lower property taxes in Northfield,” Bucci said. “We try to figure out what businesses we can bring to Northfield to fit in with the needs that we have.”
Bucci and Councilman Dave Notaro oversee the EDC, which just named its first official members and held its initial meeting Feb. 14. They are Michael Grossman of Kensington Furniture, Josiah Bunting of Bunting Family Pharmacy, Jay Hurley of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Karl Kulakowski of Chico & Sons restaurant, Carl Losco of Balsley Losco Real Estate, Vince Mazzeo of B.F. Mazzeo and Roseann Murphy of Rita’s Water Ice. Mayor Erland Chau serves as a nonvoting member.
Last summer, Bucci and Notaro invited all business owners and stakeholders to a meeting that garnered a little interest but quickly spawned creation of the Northfield Business Association, a networking group hoping to achieve similar goals through improved communications.
“It worked out great, each municipality should have a business association and an Economic Development Commission,” Bucci said.
The NBA, which held its first meeting last year, has scheduled its next one for March 16 at 8 a.m. at Republic Bank at Cresson Avenue and Tilton Road. Visit Northfieldbusinessassociation.com to learn more.
Members include President Mary Foltz of Service Counts!, Vice President Rachel Guevara of Lift and Glitz Training Studio, Kensington’s Grossman, Bunting, Scott Spencer of Batteries Plus, Deidre Kreuz of Century 21 Alliance, Rosanne Tizzano of Republic Bank, Samantha Roessler of ForeSite Commercial Realty and attorney Bill Hughes Jr.
Bucci said Kreuz and Guevara were “driving forces, they really took the ball and ran with it.” She said Republic Bank also has been a huge help and hosted the first social event.
Guevara said the NBA held one event so far but was disappointed that the majority of the nearly 50 people who attended were city officials and members of other business associations rather than local business owners.
“We are trying to get the word out to the small businesses that we are really trying to build and create something,” Guevara said.
Just starting her eighth year of owning the studio, Guevara said among the NBA’s goals are to “create synergy amongst local businesses and to have better camaraderie, more communication and help continue to evolve and grow and prosper.”
She believes there needs to be a better relationship between small businesses and the community.
“We don’t have events, there is no big outreach to the community. We need to improve on that,” Guevara said. “It’s really what the city needs to grow and prosper.”
She said everything appears to be coming together well.
“We have definitely since summer formulated an amazing group that is looking to build this right and keep it growing and doing more,” Guevara said.
“We really want to collaborate with Northfield businesses so we can grow together,” Foltz said.
Calling the city “a beautiful residential community that has amazing businesses to support it,” she said a person could do everything they need to do without leaving its borders.
“You could plan a full day — go to breakfast and meet friends, then go to a day spa for indulgence; get some fresh air at Birch Grove Park, swing by and get stuff to cook dinner and then go to the movies as well,” she said.
Foltz said businesses on the Tilton Road corridor linking the Garden State Parkway and Absecon Island must get those motorists to stop and shop.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff