Check Cashing Establishments: An Inside Look

Check out Rite Check on PBS News!

"Nearly 20% of low income US households are "underbanked," according to the FDIC. But is providing access to traditional, mainstream financial services the best solution for everyone? A professor does double duty as a New York City check casher and discovers that banks might not be the best choice for everyone."

Lisa Servon, a professor of urban policy at the New School, works as a teller at Rite Check to learn what makes check cashing establishments different-- and for some, better-- than banks.

Watch the full story on PBS News.

Welcome to 125th Street, Key Food!

West 125th Street's latest addition opened on November 22nd at 421-423 West 125th Street.

The store looks great inside and out:

According to an article at producenews.com: "'I am so proud to open my doors and become a part of this neighborhood,' store owner Mohammed Abuzahrieh said in a press release. 'Customers are my highest priority and I want to provide this community with a great shopping experience.'"

We welcome Key Food to 125th Street and look forward to working with them!

Please contact Jennifer Silverberg with any questions or for more information about the 125th Street BID's West 125 Merchants' Alliance: jsilverberg@125thstreetbid.com

Harlem Holiday Lights 2013!!

2013's Harlem Holiday Lighting program is officially a wrap, and thanks to all your support, it was our best lighting event yet! This year, businesses in the West 125 Merchants' Alliance were very involved in making the lighting extremely special and drawing massive crowds to 125th Street all the way to the Hudson River.

Several West 125 businesses drew customers to their stores by offering unique and exciting promotions:
Amalgamated Bank: Holiday Food Drive and special incentives for opening an account
Checkers: Raffle-- each entry gets free order of new mozzarella sticks with purchase; winner eats free for a month
Duane Reade: A brown bag event with health-related gifts and free blood pressure test for everyone
ECDO: Table outside with brochures and handouts sharing the free services offered by ECDO’s Community Partnership Center
Levels: Photos with Santa Claus
Rite Check: Free activation of Green Dot Cards

Duane Reade Staff greeting the Double Decker Bus as the Parade of Lights passes Broadway

Checkers staff celebrating HHL2013

Levels Barbershop promoting their activity with the Harlem Holiday Lights poster!

HARLEM, LIGHT IT UP!

Thank you all again for your participation and help in lighting up 125th Street this Holiday Season!
The next meeting of the West 125 Merchants' Alliance will be on Tuesday, January 21st, 2014. More information to follow.

Harlem, Light It Up!!

HARLEM, LIGHT IT UP! This year, 125th Street will kick off the holiday shopping season in a special celebration on November 21st, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the inception of the 125th Street BID and the 200th birthday of 125th Street.

Harlem Holiday Lights is a program to attract visitors to 125th Street. In addition to store activities, there will be a Scavenger Hunt, a Parade of Lights, and activities along the street.

All businesses along 125th Street can get involved and take advantage of this opportunity to attract visitors by decorating their storefronts and/or offering complimentary refreshments, hosting in store events, launching new products, creating their own give-aways, offering exclusive promotions, hosting in store appearances by celebrities, Santas, and more. There are unlimited creative ways to attract visitors to your business. 

Businesses west of Morningside Avenue are encouraged to participate! This is a great opportunity to attract visitors, promote your offerings, and join other 125th Street businesses in lighting up Harlem for the holidays. 

Please visit www.harlemlightitup.com to register the activities your store is planning for November 21st! The 125th Street BID will launch a promotion campaign to inform the community of your offerings and help you to attract business. Do not delay; we will begin promoting registered businesses within the week.

October Merchants' Meeting

On October 15th, the West 125 Merchants' Alliance, the steering committee for the 125th Street BID's expansion to the Hudson River, held our October Merchants' Meeting. A huge thank you goes out to Checkers (567 West 125th Street) for hosting us!!

The meeting focused largely on the upcoming Holiday Season and planning for Harlem Holiday Lights 2013. The Harlem Holiday Lights celebration is a street lighting event on 125th Street which will commence on November 21st to kick off the Holiday Season in Harlem. This year's celebration is special; 2013 marks the 200th birthday of 125th Street, as well as the 20th Anniversary of the 125th Street BID. We envision the Harlem community coming together to create and enjoy a huge festival with in-store and on-street activities. It is important for businesses to register their planned activities on the BID's Harlem Holiday Lights microsite, so that we can promote them free of charge. Attendees were enthusiastic about participating in this year's festivities. For other items discussed, view Meeting Agenda.
Due to the busy Holiday Season, the next meeting of the West 125 Merchants' Alliance will be on Tuesday, January 21st.
As always, please contact Jennifer Silverberg at jsilverberg@125thstreetbid.com or (212) 662-8999 with any questions about the BID's merchant organizing effort.

NYC Barber Battle!

New York City is gearing up for the Fourth BARBER BATTLE! Thanks to Kamal of Levels Barbershop (425 West 125th Street) for sharing.



Press links:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=450674995049491&set=pcb.45067527...
http://youtu.be/iATk-p7fVtQ
http://youtu.be/onXBax5vFsI
http://youtu.be/9C9u3oz4KrM
http://youtu.be/4a61E2yh4Fo
http://youtu.be/YAZPdU45OOo
http://youtu.be/4q4xmBpnKWE
http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2010/11/17/barber-vs-barber-in-hair-war/...

West 125 Identity

As of our September 17th Merchants' Meeting,a new identify has been created for the effort that is taking place on 125th Street between Morningside and Marginal Street: West 125 Merchants' Alliance.

Our new name gives more formal recognition of the businesses coming together to identify and address conditions that impede growth, and it is a step forward in preparing to become a part of the 125th Street Business Improvement District. Now, the West 125 Merchants' Alliance is in the final stages of selecting a new LOGO to represent the group and its work in the community. If you are a member of the West 125 Merchants' Alliance and have not received an email requesting your vote, please contact Jennifer at jsilverberg@125thstreetbid.com

The next Merchants' Meeting will be held October 15th. The BID and the West 125 Merchants' Alliance are gearing up for the holiday season, and the next meeting will focus largely on how to best promote our community and businesses to attract visitors and show our Harlem Spirit this holiday season.