by Geoff Cobb 
Donna Siafakas, the owner of Peter Pan Donuts & Pastry Shop (727 Manhattan Ave.) and Nick Giannios, owner of The Greenpoint Floral Company (703 Manhattan Ave.) are two long-time local residents and successful Manhattan Avenue merchants who are trying to give back the community at holiday time, but they’re learning that things ain’t the way they used to be.
Siafakas loved the holiday lights that used to signal the start of every holiday season on…
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Maybe this reflects more on the increased costs of doing business (like rent, for one) compared to “the old days” rather than a perceived lack of community spirit?
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/26/dining/restaurant-economics-new-york.html
Can people in the neighborhood contribute? Can a go fund me page be set up?
People in Greenpoint always contributed even though it’s supposed to b a thank you FROM THE MERCHANTS
https://brooklyn.news12.com/news/greenpoint-native-donates-20k-for-holiday-lights-1.12610096
I tend to hesitate commenting on issues because of condescending replies that are received, but let’s see what happens. The “Good old days” the merchants donated for the lights, for their customers. It didn’t matter if they celebrated Christmas or not. Jewish deli owners, Muslim candy store owners, they didn’t celebrate Christmas, but they donated. People would go the “The avenue” to see the lights and the decorated windows and that brought in the customers. Now, it seems that store owners just care about the money and not customers. Yes, they are there to make money, but no matter what is said on any of the local websites, it is not a community feel there anymore. I left Greenpoint 18 years ago and anytime I return, it doesn’t have that neighborhood feel, and never will anymore. The light will go up this year because of the generosity of a Greenpoint native. The store owners that wouldn’t donate should be ashamed of themselves.
Ask them if they even live in the neighborhood? Most don’t.
It really doesn’t matter whether the store owners live in the neighborhood or not .. they are making their profits in the neighborhood where the Christmas lights go up!
That is so sad especially the corp stores like rite aid I guess the don’t have any appreciation for the shoppers supporting their stores. When u see the lights it makes you feel HAPPY when shoppers are happy they spend more. What’s wrong with these people? They are just flat out cheap and don’t care about having a sense of community.