Great Neck Plaza event to help boost downtown business

Even Long Island's well-to-do downtowns have been affected by the still struggling economy.

The village of Great Neck Plaza, with mostly upscale shops, is a good example. Merchants acknowledge trade has been down, although they say they have seen some improvements.

Great Neck Plaza on Sunday is holding its 26th annual Autofest/Street Festival from noon to 5 p.m., an event that draws hundreds to the village's streets for a day of music, food and entertainment. Ron Edelson, executive director of the Great Neck Plaza Business Improvement District, said more efforts are being made this year to host events to boost the local economy.

"We've gone to our merchants to try to get them to do their own promotions," Edelson said. Great Neck Plaza usually has one Restaurant Week a year, in which many restaurants are offering prix-fixe meals for about $22. This year, Edelson said, there will be a second Restaurant Week, the last week of October.

Great Neck Plaza is a postage-stamp-size village, covering just a third of a square mile, with a population of about 6,000. But it is one of the Island's wealthiest villages, with a median family income of about $70,000.

But Edelson said the economy has changed, perhaps for good. "This is going to be the way it is," he said. "There's a sea change in the way people spend their money. For downtown retailers, there's also so much competition now."

Jeff Moss, owner of Pancho's Border Grill on Grace Avenue in the Plaza, has been in business since 1991. He said he has seen somewhat of a turnaround this year, but it has been very slow and gradual. "The past couple of years have forced many merchants to sharpen their pencils," he said. "Things are not as dire as they were 12 months ago, but there's still a lot of work to be done."