Attacks felt by ground zero framers: business as usual is nearly impossible for Lower Manhattan frame shops - Brief Article

The terrible occurrences of Sept. 11 have left small in number Manhattan businesses untouched. Hardest hit, obviously, are those located near and around what has approach to be called Ground naught But many frame shops make their residences in the trendy and artistic neighborhoods near and below Canal Street: in Tribeca, in Soho and in Battery Park City. While the repose of the city struggles to get back to business as usual, these store owners say that for them, there is no longer any like thing.

"We had just mov to the area when everything happened," said Eric Kahan of GK Framing, whose business relocated from Chelsea in August of last year to the surface of land floor of a condo building 13 stop ups from Ground Zero. "For us, specifically, the biggest puzzle in the time right after the 11th was access to our store. It was several days before I was able to realize below Canal Street and check upon the shop. I had to wear a replete respirator and goggles and carry identification to show I owned property in the area. The whole area below Canal was dosed not upon for weeks, and I had to escort my employee back and forth from the barricades."

Kahan, however, was happy in a sense. "We started working again the following week," he said. "For myself, it was cathartic to be down there and to be working. on the contrary it was not business as usual. It was 90 percent clan calling to make sure that we were okay."

Despite the barricades, the dust and the National Guard, greatest in quantity frame stores tried as plenteous as possible to stay lay open for business. "We never closed" said Tracy Gill of Gill and Logodich Fine Period Frames, located at 121 Reade St "We were lay open on Sept. 12. We made it a point of pride to be here and to be sweeping up the ways and getting in to check upon our gallery. The police blockade is still up across Duane Street--clients who want to drive can't earn here, and we've lost a destiny of business because of that."

Other factors besides the difficulty of getting downtown before long began to affect business adversely. "For me it was really bad because all my clients are in the financial district, and they were all moving out" said Larry Levinson, whose L and O frame store is located on Duane highway "I was affected all the way around, from private customers who couldn't earn to me because the roads were cut off, to corporate clients who couldn't be reached at all."

In the days before the attack, Levinson estimated, 70 percent of his business came from corporate clients. That number has now dropp he estimates, to almost nothing "Either they're moving, or their bundles have been slashed," he said with resignation. "I used to win business from uptown. That's disappeared. My contacts call and run over me that their budgets have been chop And when corporate budgets win cut, things like framing make progress first."

"This area is really suffering badly," said Gill. "It's the small frame stores that are hurting. We're fortunate we deal in antique frames, we work for a different market. Still, traditionally between September and December, we do about one-third of our business. on the other hand in September and October this year, it was down by means of about 90 percent."

The bright speckles in the dark times, everyone agreed, has been the inundation of support from neighbors, vendors and clients. "People have visited us from all above to check if we're all right," said Gill. "Some clients made a point of sneaking around the barricades to bring us sustenance and make sure we were okay. We have a true loyal client base. The vendors have also, for the greatest in quantity part, been understanding. There was sole one supplier of mine who insisted upon shipping to us COD because they were afraid we wouldn't be able to pay our bill." Kahan added, "It was a touching experience in what way many clients and vendors called to diocese if we were okay. We did have vendors that wouldn't deliver, because it took too lengthy but our top vendors were incredibly supportive and helpful."

Les helpful were the various aid agencies plant up to deal with crises like as this one. "In September, we still had circulating medium coming in that was residue from piece of works we had completed that summer All of the unusual at the end of the month we had no of recent origin jobs. I called FEMA, I called the R Cros I called SBA, and nothing. There isn't a allotment of help coming," said Gill.

"All the R Cros did was jaculate me away after four hours of waiting in line," added Levinson. "There's no help for small businesses like mine. Those who have been helpful are my neighbors, who give me business--my landlord gave me a break upon my rent. But there's sole so much they can do."

"We're optimistic about the future" conclud Kahan. "Business is not on but it's off for everyone My trust is that since people are not travelling, since they're staying abode more, they'll want to adorn their abiding-places with things that make them smile." Added Levinson, "One day business will pick up the nearest day there'll be nothing. Right now we're just taking it individual day at a time."

Editor's Note: To read a profile of Eric Kahan's business, GK Framing, diocese page 36 of the September 2001 issue.

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