Gentrification, while a natural byproduct of a thriving city, poses a great threat to longtime residents and local business owners of the area. Ridgewood, Queens, is one such neighborhood undergoing immense transformation due to its relatively quiet, residential streets, and ease of access to Manhattan, among many other factors.
With the influx of people moving into the area comes progress, opportunity, and displacement. From the perspective of a local corner store owner, we can learn more about the struggles of gentrification: shifting community dynamics, rising economic pressure, and the tension of embracing modernization.
To better understand the impacts of gentrification, this reporter took the opportunity to speak with one of Ridgewood’s longtime local business owners. Tony Paredes ran a cornerstone business of the Ridgewood community for over two decades: Tony’s Supermarket. Mr. Paredes opened his store in the late 90s, establishing himself in the Ridgewood community, thereby amassing a loyal customer base. He continued to run the store until he sold the business in 2018. His reflections offer a firsthand look at how gentrification reshapes neighborhoods and affects small business owners.
This reporter asked Tony how he managed to keep residents returning to his store despite newer, modern shops offering cheaper, plentiful options. He said, “A lot of people would come to me because of the connection we had. Individuals who became family, their kids becoming my family too, and then seeing them start a family of their own. I would always allow people to pay when they had the money to pay for things. I get it, times were hard and they’re only getting harder.” Tony’s store was more than a business; it was a community hub where relationships and trust were as valuable as the products on the shelves.
Mr. Paredes continued to explain the impacts of the arrival of conglomerate stores such as Target and their effects on the neighborhood.
“It’s going to have a major impact on the community. Target already has everything such as groceries, clothing, electronics, and baby items. A small business like I had could never compete with a place like that. They can afford to have lower prices than I would’ve had, as well as [allow people to] get all of their shopping done there.”
The conversation then turned to the future of small mom-and-pop stores in Ridgewood. Tony stated his concerns:
“Many of them must have to close. Rent is already expensive—for an apartment, but for a business, it’s double that. I paid $3,500 a month for the spot I had. That was back in 2018, but now I’m hearing that rent is almost as much as $5,000, and that’s for a small spot. Many of these new places that are opening you would’ve never seen 20 years ago. Now we have bars, hookah places, and tattoo shops.”
Unsurprisingly, adapting to these changes remains an ongoing challenge for small businesses. Many businesses like Tony’s Supermarket have become casualties of a system that prioritizes economic development over community preservation. Tony’s story mirrors the broader struggles faced by small business owners in gentrifying neighborhoods.
Ridgewood’s unique charm has always been rooted in its small businesses: in family-run, mom-and-pop shops like Mr. Paredes’. Now forced to compete with imposing corporations and increasing rent, Ridgewood’s beautiful community is now at threat of disappearing.
Masthead
Editorial Staff
Editor: Jackson Jarrell
Layout: Michele Schultz
Writer: Anthony Paredes
Credits:
A local corner store owner tells about the transformation of New York City neighborhoods in Ridgewood, Queens.