The Jersey City Small Businesses Services along with Mayor Steven Fulop recently launched a citywide, year-round campaign, “Shop Jersey City Buy Local,” to support local and independently owned businesses.
The goal of the campaign is to drive traffic and awareness to Jersey City’s selection of small businesses in every business district throughout the city. Components of the campaign include branding participating businesses with a Shop Jersey City Buy Local vinyl decal for shop windows, providing free holiday parking in nine designated municipal lots from Nov. 25 to Dec. 31 and distributing reusable bags by the Central Avenue Special Improvement District.
“Small businesses reflect who we are as a city and our unique diversity,” said Fulop. “What better way to support your community than to spend locally at a business, store or restaurant where the owners are your neighbors, friends and people who are working to improve the quality of life across our city.”
From revamping the Buildings Department to expedite approvals, to driving new development throughout the city with an innovative tax abatement policy, to expanding funding opportunities and access to capital through innovative partnerships with the private and nonprofit sectors, Jersey City has made it easier for small businesses to thrive.
More than 450 new small businesses have opened shop in Jersey City. Small business growth has contributed to unprecedented job growth, with more than 6,000 new jobs created since July 2013. Unemployment has also dropped, hitting a 25-year low of 4.1 percent earlier this year.
