Pulling Together

A Press Sessions conversation in Westhampton Beach last Thursday, November 7, revealed a few interesting things about the upheaval going on in the village business district, as Main Street remains closed to traffic through Christmas, and merchants struggle to hang on till then.

It was striking — and heartening — how united the business owners and village officials are in the face of such a challenge. Give the merchants credit: On the whole, they appear to see the light at the end of the tunnel. A revamped Main Street, with more parking, no utility poles and a fresh, welcoming layout, followed by plans to install a sewerage system to open up new development of restaurants and dwellings, will set up a promising future for a village that has been stuck in neutral for years.

Not that everything is perfect. Village Trustee Brian Tymann, who has been tireless in his efforts to find ways to help the business community through the crisis, acknowledges that it’s been a learning experience. Even the best intentions can sometimes go awry. Lynne Jones, the longtime owner of Lynne’s Cards & Gifts, noted that the decision to start the project early, to ensure its completion before Memorial Day, missed the point that September and October are bigger months for her business than May and June — which means the same might well be true for other merchants.

Which raises a key point: Where is the local Chamber of Commerce? This is a moment when an effective chamber is absolutely essential, serving as a liaison for the village and its businesses, and a rallying point that allows merchants to pull together and work for the overall health of the Main Street shopping corridor. It has been unable to overcome malaise, and a bout of infighting, and its absence at this moment in time is being severely felt.

There is only one way the village will get through to the other side of this worthwhile investment in infrastructure, and that’s together. If the chamber is unable to carry the flag, it’ll be up to the businesses themselves to find a leader whose focus is not on a single storefront but all of them, collectively. Because that’s how the village will survive, and thrive — as a destination, with many stopping points once people arrive.

Mayor Maria Moore and other village leaders deserve a great deal of credit for forging ahead with the kinds of projects that many villages need but few have the courage to tackle. For now, though, it’s imperative that the priority is to help assure there is a business community to benefit on the other side.