The Buzz

A QUAR T E R LY NE WS L E T T E R
SPRING 2009 VOL. 2 ISSUE 4
I N S I D E
YonkersDowntown.com YonkersDowntown.com
Q U E S T I O N S ,
I N F O R M A T I O N ,
I D E A S ?
C O N T A C T
S t e v e S a n s o n e
E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r
9 1 4 - 9 6 9 - 6 6 6 0
4 H u d s o n S t r e e t
Y o n k e r s , N Y 1 0 7 0 1
I n f o @ Y o n k e r s D o w n t o w n . c o m
w w w . Y o n k e r s D o w n t o w n . c o m
Upcoming Events Through June
SUNRISE
SEMINAR SERIES:
SECRETS OF INTERNET MARKETING
Tuesday, April 7
8am, Yonkers Riverfront Library, 1 Larkin Center
Free and open to the public. Light refreshments served.

SIDEWALK
SALES
Every Thursday through Sunday,
from April to October
Fabulous bargains are yours Thursday through
Sundays, May to October when participating busi-
nesses in downtown Yonkers make their special items
available for sale. Look for First Friday at Noon Music
to be added to the mix shortly.
BID To Promote Hudson River Day, June 6
n Saturday, June 6, Yonkers
Downtown will be a popular
destination for many visitors wishing
to get a great view of the hundreds
of ships that will sail up the river
during Hudson River Day, a grand
celebration of the Quadricentennial
marking Henry Hudsons historic
navigation of the river in the Half
Moon ship in 1609.
Plans are underway for Yonkers
Downtown BID to promote Hudson
River Day as one the years great
shopping and dining days in the
district, an excellent opportunity
for merchants to increase sales by
offering visitors special discounts
tied to the 1609 anniversary date.
For example, restaurants might
charge $16.09 for brunch or dinner.
Department stores, boutiques, hair
salons and art galleries, etc might
charge $16.09 on select items or
offer a discount in that amount on
purchases totaling specic amounts.
Or $1.69 for a giant ice cream cone
or slice of pizza.
Pg.2
EVOLUTION
ARTS
Every Third Sunday of the Month
April 19, May 17, June 21
Enjoy leisurely art viewing at the exciting new series of
art exhibits showcasing the work of artists throughout
Westchester and the region.

HUDSON
RIVER DAY
Saturday, June 6
A grand celebration of the Quadricentennial marking
Henry Hudsons historic navigation of the river in the
Half Moon ship in 1609. See the otilla of hundreds of
ships from the waterfront and enjoy a day lled with
street entertainment and other surprises and special
discounts on a host of offerings by the BIDs mer-
chants. Not to be missed!
Tips on How to Market
in a Down Economy
Continued on pg. 3
O
t the Yonkers BIDs rst Sunrise
Seminar Series session, two
marketing and business develop-
ment experts Liz Bracken-
Thompson, Partner and Executive
Vice President of Thompson &
Bender, a leading Westchester public
relations, marketing & advertising
rm and Peter G. Klein, a member of
the Yonkers Downtown BID Board
presented tips and tactics on How
to Market in a Down Economy.
Among the key points they made
about developing strategies during
these tough economic times were:
Shift and readjust the focus of
your strategy on increasing sales
Emphasize customer service and
enhance customer relationships
Keep current customers happy
Communicate with customers on
a regular basis to keep them on
your radar screen
Continue to maintain advertising
and marketing efforts to keep
visibility during the downturn
Offer value to the customer in
your advertising message
Re-evaluate and maximize your
investment in advertising and
marketing
Make the most of your
advertising dollar
In developing a marketing plan,
it should include these basics:
Determine how your business
benets the customers
Determine your position in the
marketplace (who is your
competition?)
A
Continued on pg. 3
Continental Restaurant II
Ribbon Cutting
Pg.3
Tips for Improving Store Windows
Pg.4
Evolution Arts Returns April 19
Pg.2
Verizon FiOS Ribbon Cutting
YonkersDowntown.com 2 3
Hudson River Day
Continued from pg. 1
Marketing in a Down Economy Continued from pg. 1
A
Three New Businesses
Open In Downtown Yonkers
t last, the hard long winter is
over and spring has returned to
the Yonkers Downtown Waterfront.
Although the economic recession
has taken its toll throughout the U.S ,
the BID recently joined Yonkers
Mayor Phil Amicone and other
elected ofcials in welcoming three
new businesses to the District
signifying a positive development
for the areas economic vitality and
certainly welcome news during these
tough economic times.
The rst was the opening on March 6
of Verizon FiOSs new retail store at 66
Main Street. On March 20, Continen-
tal Restaurant II, a new American
Dominican restaurant opened its
doors for business at 104 New Main
Street, followed by the grand open-
ing of A&T Nail Salon at 35 Main
Street. The husband and wife owners
of Continental Restaurant II
Alberto and SiraLuz Peralta moved
recently to Yonkers from Brooklyn
where they lived and operated a
restaurant. The owner of A&T Nail
Salon, Peter Nguyen, is a noted
Yonkers entrepreneur and business
owner. Steve Sansone, Yonkers BID
Executive Director, presented
plaques welcoming the new busi-
ness enterprises to the District.
Steve Sansone (second from left) welcomes Continental Restaurant II owners Alberto and
SiraLuz Peralta to the Yonkers downtown. Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone (center) presented
the owners with a proclamation from the City as did Councilwoman Patricia McDow, left.
To help make Hudson River Day a
resounding success, the BID highly
recommends merchants to submit
their $16.09 or $1.69 specials to the
BID ofce by May 1 to help plan for
advance promotion and media
coverage. To obtain the form,
please call 969-9660. This is a free
service for the BID merchants.
And stay tuned for announcements
about special free programs that
the BID will be providing on
June 6 to complement the
viewing of the otilla.
Know your target market
(who they are, where they live,
age group, etc)
Develop an advertising strategy
and the required tools and
techniques to implement it in
the appropriate media: print,
Internet, TV, radio
Develop a budget
Create a timeline with
realistic goals
Leverage the local media to get
free publicity for your business by:
Making contact with the local media
Sending out press releases on
personnel announcements (new
employees, promotions) or
about a new product and service
Creating media events such as
a grand opening
Seeking speaking opportunities
before local civic and business
groups and issuing press
releases to obtain more visibility
If you have a question about market-
ing and public relations for our semi-
nar experts, please send an e-mail
to info@YonkersDowntown.com.
10 Tips to Help Make Your
Store Window Attractive
Improving your curb appeal doesnt
have to cost a fortune. That was the
message at the BIDs recent free
seminar, Curb Appeal: Store Mer-
chandising Tips. Seminar panelists
included: Nicole Innis, LEED AP,
owner of Yonkers-based Innis Designs
and Maureen Farrell, Project Manager
of the Retail Design Institute.
Here are 10 easy tips to follow:
(source: AllBusiness.com)
1. Dont overdo it. Less can be more.
A cluttered window loses appeal and
featured items can get lost.
2. Make merchandise the focal point.
Make sure your window dressing
does not overshadow your products.
3. Accentuate products with good
lighting. Whether the window is
recessed or under a spotlight, the
products should be highlighted.
4. Stack products or use a pyramid.
Place items at varying heights and
depths to catch shoppers attention
and make the overall display inviting
to the eye.
5. Have fun with mannequins. If you
are using mannequins, create inter-
esting poses, and make sure that
each one is well lit
6. Be creative. Let your imagination run
free as long as you dont lose sight
of the objective and draw customers
into the store with innovative, attrac-
tive, and compelling displays.
7. Remember your theme. Keep
your window theme in mind and
decorate according to that theme.
8. Draw in drivers. If your potential
customers drive rather than walk,
catch their attention by making the
typography and graphics larger and
use more color.
9. Use backdrops. Backdrops can
enhance the display and help distin-
guish the window from the store in a
dramatic way.
10. Stock up on featured products.
Make sure you have enough of the
merchandise that your window display
is highlighting. The last thing you
want is to disappoint the customer.
With the return of spring, now is a
great time to spruce up your window
display. If you have a question about
creating a winning store window
design for our experts, please
send an e-mail to
info@YonkersDowntown.com.
An example of an attractive window design.
Celebrating the grand opening of A&T Nails, Inc. at 35 Main Street were (l-r): New York
State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Yonkers Councilwoman Patricia McDow and a
member of the Yonkers BID Board of Directors; Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone; Steve
Sansone; Peter Nguyen, owner and Daniel Lopez, manager of the new beauty salon.
SPRING 2009
Message from
The Executive Director

Tips for Keeping
Yonkers Clean

The Yonkers
Downtown BID
Director and staff
have a daily
working relation-
ship with the
Code Enforce-
ment Bureau.
The objective
is to educate, monitor and enforce the
City Code to insure health, safety and
cleanliness of Yonkers. Here are some
guidelines merchants need to know
(more will follow in our next newsletter):

Garbage bags and pails should not
be heavier than 50 lbs.
Property owners are responsible to
keep the entire sidewalk area free of
litter weeds, and debris. This includes
the curb area 18 inches into the roadway.
Sidewalks abutting your property
must be kept in good repair. Owners
must obtain a permit from the Dept of
Engineering 377- 6210 prior to any
sidewalk repair or replacement.
Dog walkers MUST pick up after their
dogs Its the Law.
If there is a re hydrant abutting
your property, you must keep the area
surrounding this hydrant free from litter,
debris and snow.
It is illegal to post signs on any
property other than your own. Signs may
not be posted on telephone poles, utility
poles or the City of Yonkers right of way.
All business/commercial properties
must have a commercial pick-up as well
as a decal placed in the window naming
the company responsible for that
pick-up. The BID has an optional
commercial refuse program.
For more information call 969-6660.
The BID and our Ranger Clean Team
are here to help. We take pride in our
downtown and know that you do, too. If
everyone does his or her part, our teamwork
can help keep our downtown beautiful.
Happy Spring!
Steve Sansone
YonkersDowntown.com 2 3
Hudson River Day
Continued from pg. 1
Marketing in a Down Economy Continued from pg. 1
A
Three New Businesses
Open In Downtown Yonkers
t last, the hard long winter is
over and spring has returned to
the Yonkers Downtown Waterfront.
Although the economic recession
has taken its toll throughout the U.S ,
the BID recently joined Yonkers
Mayor Phil Amicone and other
elected ofcials in welcoming three
new businesses to the District
signifying a positive development
for the areas economic vitality and
certainly welcome news during these
tough economic times.
The rst was the opening on March 6
of Verizon FiOSs new retail store at 66
Main Street. On March 20, Continen-
tal Restaurant II, a new American
Dominican restaurant opened its
doors for business at 104 New Main
Street, followed by the grand open-
ing of A&T Nail Salon at 35 Main
Street. The husband and wife owners
of Continental Restaurant II
Alberto and SiraLuz Peralta moved
recently to Yonkers from Brooklyn
where they lived and operated a
restaurant. The owner of A&T Nail
Salon, Peter Nguyen, is a noted
Yonkers entrepreneur and business
owner. Steve Sansone, Yonkers BID
Executive Director, presented
plaques welcoming the new busi-
ness enterprises to the District.
Steve Sansone (second from left) welcomes Continental Restaurant II owners Alberto and
SiraLuz Peralta to the Yonkers downtown. Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone (center) presented
the owners with a proclamation from the City as did Councilwoman Patricia McDow, left.
To help make Hudson River Day a
resounding success, the BID highly
recommends merchants to submit
their $16.09 or $1.69 specials to the
BID ofce by May 1 to help plan for
advance promotion and media
coverage. To obtain the form,
please call 969-9660. This is a free
service for the BID merchants.
And stay tuned for announcements
about special free programs that
the BID will be providing on
June 6 to complement the
viewing of the otilla.
Know your target market
(who they are, where they live,
age group, etc)
Develop an advertising strategy
and the required tools and
techniques to implement it in
the appropriate media: print,
Internet, TV, radio
Develop a budget
Create a timeline with
realistic goals
Leverage the local media to get
free publicity for your business by:
Making contact with the local media
Sending out press releases on
personnel announcements (new
employees, promotions) or
about a new product and service
Creating media events such as
a grand opening
Seeking speaking opportunities
before local civic and business
groups and issuing press
releases to obtain more visibility
If you have a question about market-
ing and public relations for our semi-
nar experts, please send an e-mail
to info@YonkersDowntown.com.
10 Tips to Help Make Your
Store Window Attractive
Improving your curb appeal doesnt
have to cost a fortune. That was the
message at the BIDs recent free
seminar, Curb Appeal: Store Mer-
chandising Tips. Seminar panelists
included: Nicole Innis, LEED AP,
owner of Yonkers-based Innis Designs
and Maureen Farrell, Project Manager
of the Retail Design Institute.
Here are 10 easy tips to follow:
(source: AllBusiness.com)
1. Dont overdo it. Less can be more.
A cluttered window loses appeal and
featured items can get lost.
2. Make merchandise the focal point.
Make sure your window dressing
does not overshadow your products.
3. Accentuate products with good
lighting. Whether the window is
recessed or under a spotlight, the
products should be highlighted.
4. Stack products or use a pyramid.
Place items at varying heights and
depths to catch shoppers attention
and make the overall display inviting
to the eye.
5. Have fun with mannequins. If you
are using mannequins, create inter-
esting poses, and make sure that
each one is well lit
6. Be creative. Let your imagination run
free as long as you dont lose sight
of the objective and draw customers
into the store with innovative, attrac-
tive, and compelling displays.
7. Remember your theme. Keep
your window theme in mind and
decorate according to that theme.
8. Draw in drivers. If your potential
customers drive rather than walk,
catch their attention by making the
typography and graphics larger and
use more color.
9. Use backdrops. Backdrops can
enhance the display and help distin-
guish the window from the store in a
dramatic way.
10. Stock up on featured products.
Make sure you have enough of the
merchandise that your window display
is highlighting. The last thing you
want is to disappoint the customer.
With the return of spring, now is a
great time to spruce up your window
display. If you have a question about
creating a winning store window
design for our experts, please
send an e-mail to
info@YonkersDowntown.com.
An example of an attractive window design.
Celebrating the grand opening of A&T Nails, Inc. at 35 Main Street were (l-r): New York
State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Yonkers Councilwoman Patricia McDow and a
member of the Yonkers BID Board of Directors; Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone; Steve
Sansone; Peter Nguyen, owner and Daniel Lopez, manager of the new beauty salon.
SPRING 2009
Message from
The Executive Director

Tips for Keeping
Yonkers Clean

The Yonkers
Downtown BID
Director and staff
have a daily
working relation-
ship with the
Code Enforce-
ment Bureau.
The objective
is to educate, monitor and enforce the
City Code to insure health, safety and
cleanliness of Yonkers. Here are some
guidelines merchants need to know
(more will follow in our next newsletter):

Garbage bags and pails should not
be heavier than 50 lbs.
Property owners are responsible to
keep the entire sidewalk area free of
litter weeds, and debris. This includes
the curb area 18 inches into the roadway.
Sidewalks abutting your property
must be kept in good repair. Owners
must obtain a permit from the Dept of
Engineering 377- 6210 prior to any
sidewalk repair or replacement.
Dog walkers MUST pick up after their
dogs Its the Law.
If there is a re hydrant abutting
your property, you must keep the area
surrounding this hydrant free from litter,
debris and snow.
It is illegal to post signs on any
property other than your own. Signs may
not be posted on telephone poles, utility
poles or the City of Yonkers right of way.
All business/commercial properties
must have a commercial pick-up as well
as a decal placed in the window naming
the company responsible for that
pick-up. The BID has an optional
commercial refuse program.
For more information call 969-6660.
The BID and our Ranger Clean Team
are here to help. We take pride in our
downtown and know that you do, too. If
everyone does his or her part, our teamwork
can help keep our downtown beautiful.
Happy Spring!
Steve Sansone
The Buzz
A QUAR T E R LY NE WS L E T T E R
SPRING 2009 VOL. 2 ISSUE 4
I N S I D E
YonkersDowntown.com YonkersDowntown.com
Q U E S T I O N S ,
I N F O R M A T I O N ,
I D E A S ?
C O N T A C T
S t e v e S a n s o n e
E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r
9 1 4 - 9 6 9 - 6 6 6 0
4 H u d s o n S t r e e t
Y o n k e r s , N Y 1 0 7 0 1
I n f o @ Y o n k e r s D o w n t o w n . c o m
w w w . Y o n k e r s D o w n t o w n . c o m
Upcoming Events Through June
SUNRISE
SEMINAR SERIES:
SECRETS OF INTERNET MARKETING
Tuesday, April 7
8am, Yonkers Riverfront Library, 1 Larkin Center
Free and open to the public. Light refreshments served.

SIDEWALK
SALES
Every Thursday through Sunday,
from April to October
Fabulous bargains are yours Thursday through
Sundays, May to October when participating busi-
nesses in downtown Yonkers make their special items
available for sale. Look for First Friday at Noon Music
to be added to the mix shortly.
BID To Promote Hudson River Day, June 6
n Saturday, June 6, Yonkers
Downtown will be a popular
destination for many visitors wishing
to get a great view of the hundreds
of ships that will sail up the river
during Hudson River Day, a grand
celebration of the Quadricentennial
marking Henry Hudsons historic
navigation of the river in the Half
Moon ship in 1609.
Plans are underway for Yonkers
Downtown BID to promote Hudson
River Day as one the years great
shopping and dining days in the
district, an excellent opportunity
for merchants to increase sales by
offering visitors special discounts
tied to the 1609 anniversary date.
For example, restaurants might
charge $16.09 for brunch or dinner.
Department stores, boutiques, hair
salons and art galleries, etc might
charge $16.09 on select items or
offer a discount in that amount on
purchases totaling specic amounts.
Or $1.69 for a giant ice cream cone
or slice of pizza.
Pg.2
EVOLUTION
ARTS
Every Third Sunday of the Month
April 19, May 17, June 21
Enjoy leisurely art viewing at the exciting new series of
art exhibits showcasing the work of artists throughout
Westchester and the region.

HUDSON
RIVER DAY
Saturday, June 6
A grand celebration of the Quadricentennial marking
Henry Hudsons historic navigation of the river in the
Half Moon ship in 1609. See the otilla of hundreds of
ships from the waterfront and enjoy a day lled with
street entertainment and other surprises and special
discounts on a host of offerings by the BIDs mer-
chants. Not to be missed!
Tips on How to Market
in a Down Economy
Continued on pg. 3
O
t the Yonkers BIDs rst Sunrise
Seminar Series session, two
marketing and business develop-
ment experts Liz Bracken-
Thompson, Partner and Executive
Vice President of Thompson &
Bender, a leading Westchester public
relations, marketing & advertising
rm and Peter G. Klein, a member of
the Yonkers Downtown BID Board
presented tips and tactics on How
to Market in a Down Economy.
Among the key points they made
about developing strategies during
these tough economic times were:
Shift and readjust the focus of
your strategy on increasing sales
Emphasize customer service and
enhance customer relationships
Keep current customers happy
Communicate with customers on
a regular basis to keep them on
your radar screen
Continue to maintain advertising
and marketing efforts to keep
visibility during the downturn
Offer value to the customer in
your advertising message
Re-evaluate and maximize your
investment in advertising and
marketing
Make the most of your
advertising dollar
In developing a marketing plan,
it should include these basics:
Determine how your business
benets the customers
Determine your position in the
marketplace (who is your
competition?)
A
Continued on pg. 3
Continental Restaurant II
Ribbon Cutting
Pg.3
Tips for Improving Store Windows
Pg.4
Evolution Arts Returns April 19
Pg.2
Verizon FiOS Ribbon Cutting