TREESTAR*, a Jackson Heights-based shop that sells sustainable soaps and hand-poured candles, will showcase their products at the Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park until Dec. 18.
TREESTAR* is one of four minority-owned small businesses selected for a “small business spotlight” in order to encourage New Yorkers to shop at stores disproportionality impacted by the novel coronavirus pandemic, according to a press statement.
The COVID-19 pandemic has hurt almost all businesses in New York City, but minority-owned businesses have been hit particularly hard by the virus with one analysis from the University of California, Santa Cruz claims that 40% of Black businesses owners said they were not working in April.
All four businesses are allowed to temporarily set up shop on a rotating basis at a rent-free spot in the village until Jan. 3. New Yorkers interested in keeping their holiday shopping local can stop by TREESTAR* between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. until Dec. 18.
“As a native New Yorker and small business owner, having a shop in Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park has always been a goal, now it is a dream come true,” said José Alvarez, owner of TREESTAR* NYC. “We are truly grateful for this once in a lifetime opportunity that will shine a light on minority-owned, small businesses while helping build brand equity in ways we could not have done otherwise. Thanks to Bank of America and this program we will be able to get our soaps and candles into the hands of many new customers and continue to pursue our mission to spread love, not germs, on a much larger scale.”
The other three businesses are Annie Mae’s Bakery which sells cookies, cupcakes, pie filling, baking accessories and attire out of their brick-and-mortar shop in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn; Harlem’s Heaven Hats where shop owner Evetta Petty sells personally designed hats; and Forest Hills-based shop Tibet Tree of Life which sells Tibetan singing bowls, shawls, incense, and metal clutches made in the Himalayan region.
Tibet Tree of Life will be the last shop in the rotation and will be open for business in the village beginning Dec. 19 through Jan.3.
