The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Chamber of Commerce

Jubilant Mood and ‘Sense of Rebirth’ at Ribbon Cutting for the ‘A Seafood Market Grill’ in Pleasantville

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At the opening of a ribbon cutting ceremony at the new ‘A Seafood Market Grill’: (L-R): Peter Scherer, Bill Flooks, Margaret Cunzi0, Nick Antonaccio, Shari Ascher, Yuliia Aquije, Chef Evans and Carol Barrella

By Grace Bennett

Pleasantville, NY— It felt like far more than a simple ribbon cutting ceremony yesterday to celebrate the opening of the new A Seafood Market Grille on 49 Wheeler Avenue–directly across from the Pleasantville Pharmacy and immediately next door to Soul Brewery.

Comments by Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce and town and county public officials spoke of a ‘rebirth’ to the community in general following a pandemic year that brought unprecedented challenges to the business community, and of course, to everyone else too.

Standing proudly with those gathered were proprietor Yuliia Aquije, who lives with her husband Pablo and daughter in Hawthorne, and Chef Matthew Evans. In a separate interview, Yuliia told the Inside Press that she and Pablo had searched throughout the area for the right location, and were ultimately charmed by Wheeler Avenue.

The store’s opening however had been delayed for six months due to Covid-related challenges.

Expressions of relief and encouragement to the couple and to ‘Chef Evan’  were freely shared.

“We want to be the wind behind your sails… in the friendly environment of 10570,” said Pleasantville Mayor Peter Scherer. “We know what a difficult time it was to get here.”

Westchester County’s Shari Ascher, representing George Latimer, noted: “It’s thrilling to have some good news that we are moving in the right direction.”

“I’d love to be at a new ribbon cutting every day in this county,” Ascher said, noting Latimer’s strong record of support for the business community. “We urge residents to support local business.’

Margaret Cunzio presenting a Certificate of Appreciation to A Seafood Market Grill

 Mostly, it was a jubilant mood under a bright sun and crystal blue skies. PCTV’s Nick Antonaccio, who opened the ceremony, welcomed the new owners and expressed his enthusiasm for the selection. Along with a full array of fish and seafood items, the new grill offers select prepared foods, such as rice and noodle-based dishes, an already popular soft shell crab sandwich, and non-seafood items too, such as pulled pork Cuban sandwiches. “There’s something for everyone,” exclaimed Chamber board member Margaret Cunzio who presented Yuliia with a Certificate of Appreciation. Cunzio invited attendees to try a fresh shucked Virginia Oyster from Chesapeake Bay, and it was indeed delicious paired with a delicate minuet sauce by Chef Evan.

As Chef Evan uses sushi grade tuna, sushi offerings are planned soon, too.

Village trustee and board member Paul Alvarez stated that the town welcomed the new addition “with open arms… anything you need,” he said.

Chamber President Bill Flooks warmly welcomed the couple too to Wheeler Avenue which he called “the heart of the village.”

In a separate conversation inside the Soul Brewery, another exciting new establishment opened recently by Allen Wallace, Peter Scherer noted that Wheeler Avenue, and Pleasantville at large along Washington and Marble Avenues, have already become “known more and more for our restaurant scene,” but with this grill and other specialty shops opening in town, food specialty offerings to residents are becoming increasingly varied too.”

A Seafood Market Grill will be open every day of the week from 9-7, and on Sunday, 9-4. “We can take orders online at the website and have curbside pick up too,” shared Yuliia. When asked how her business’s opening has been faring since early April, she said. “People are coming in, little by little. We hope more people find out that we are open with great, fresh seafood here!”

Returning to Raise a Family in the Tree Streets of Briarcliff Manor

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Briarcliff natives and high school sweethearts, Cari DeRose, an auditor and Cesare DeRose, owner of Tegra, a building maintenance supply company, live in the Tree Streets section of Briarcliff Manor with daughters Sabrina, age 9 and Juliana, age 5. Having both grown up in the area, settling there with their young family was a no-brainer. “When we got married in 2008 we did not consider any other towns when looking for our first place together. The sense of community and positive experience we had growing up in Briarcliff is exactly what we wished for our own children,” said Cari.

The Tree Streets were named by Walter W. Law, who founded Briarcliff Manor in the 1890’s. He wanted to name the streets after the species of trees planted in the surrounding areas such as Elm, Pine, Oak and Linden. Cari grew up in the Tree Streets and her parents still live in her childhood home. The DeRoses purchased their home three years ago and love their neighborhood. The area is very safe for kids to go out and play. As Cari says, “Since there are only two access points into the Tree Streets (Ash and Larch), there is not a lot of “thru traffic.” This allows the kids to bike and walk around a little bit more freely.”

Living in the Tree Streets provides many opportunities for neighbors to gather. On Halloween, the DeRoses saw over 400 trick-or-treaters come to their home. There’s also an annual adults-only block party held each fall.

As Cari says, “We love being a part of the Briarcliff community.” The family enjoys many local events including Family Fun Night, Santa Express, which is hosted by the Briarcliff Manor Fire Department, the Chamber of Commerce Summer Concert Series and the Halloween window painting, which takes place in town each year.

Spotlight on Armonk Chamber President Neal Schwartz

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And his Efforts Devoted to Helping Local Businesses Thrive

Mr. Schwartz prepares for First ursdays.
Mr. Schwartz prepares for First Thursdays.

By Stacey Pfeffer

All the merchants and businesses in town seem to know Neal Schwartz, president of the Armonk Chamber of Commerce. He can be spotted at monthly Chamber meetings or patronizing a local coffee shop. What is it about this man who has changed the business landscape of Armonk? Inside Armonk got to sit down with Schwartz and hear how he hopes to make Armonk synonymous with fun while preserving town traditions that help local businesses flourish.

A Westchester native, Schwartz is the owner of College Planning of Westchester, an Armonk-based business that helps students locally and throughout the county with tutoring, ACT/SAT preparation and college counseling. He and his wife, Dr. Arlene Schwartz, an optometrist and owner of Hartsdale Family Eyecare, have lived in Chappaqua for the past 26 years with their three children. Neal Schwartz also heads up the Northern Westchester Business Network, which provides him additional experience in running a successful chamber.

Schwartz has been involved with the Chamber since opening his business in 2004. He clearly remembers one fateful meeting in 2010 as a turning point for the Chamber, which he said was about to disband until he volunteered to take on a leadership role as President. “It was a case of: If you’ll do it, I’ll do it.” Schwartz formed a fully operating board with four of his fellow Chamber members, knowing the importance of having a team in place that could take responsibility and implement changes to benefit the business community and town. In retrospect, “it was very cool because we didn’t know if the Chamber would continue but we [ultimately] decided we have to commit to this and to the town.”

Schwartz pulls out a photo from several years ago when the Chamber was in its infancy. “The only thing the chamber did consistently a few years ago was to have sidewalk sales. There was a brochure to recruit members and there was about one networking event a year. There was no central board or consistency over time. The website was primitive and did not have any potential to quickly communicate to members and the community,” recalls Schwartz.

Fast forward five years and the Chamber has evolved into a roughly 100-member-strong organization with a clear vision and updated website. “The Armonk Chamber of Commerce, under Neal’s direction as president, has dramatically upped its game,” noted Stacy Wilder, the membership liaison at the Armonk Chamber of Commerce. “We have brought in many new members and helped them connect with our community by sponsoring a number of successful events. First Thursdays, the Donut and Cider Festival/Jamie’s Race for Love and the Citizen of the Year outing/dinner give exposure to local businesses through sponsorships and participation, and bring consumers into Armonk.” In addition, the Chamber supports other widely anticipated events in Armonk such as the Frosty Day Parade and the Armonk Outdoor Art Show.

“One of the things I’ve learned along the way is that there are actually more Chamber members that are not on Armonk’s Main Street than there are on Main Street,” said Schwartz. While the town has several long-standing and well-established businesses on Main Street, there are a host of other service industries and small businesses located throughout the hamlet that are also quite essential to its commercial success.

As a local business owner, Schwartz knows firsthand how being a Chamber member has its benefits. When a plumbing emergency faced his business one morning, he knew exactly who to call –another Chamber member, who gave him a referral for a plumber, who fixed the problem immediately, allowing Schwartz to continue business as usual that afternoon. Schwartz could have checked Angie’s List or another website, but Chamber members provide a valuable trusted support network and often refer other Chamber members for services ranging from painting to plumbing to landscaping. Similarly, at a Chamber meeting, another member had a friend in Glastonbury, Conn. looking for college counseling for their child. Although Schwartz’s business serves primarily Byram Hills and other Westchester-based high school students, his company helped that student with Skype and other online tools. “When you are part of the Chamber, you are ‘in the know’ and we can truly help each other’s businesses grow.”

e Schwartz Family (L-R): Stacie, Jodi, Arlene, Zachary & Neal
The Schwartz Family (L-R): Stacie, Jodi, Arlene, Zachary & Neal

“I joined the Armonk Chamber of Commerce three years ago and was immediately made to feel very welcome,” said Gordon Josey, the owner and director of Breezemont Day Camp. “It’s amazing how much work Neal and the board does to make the Chamber work. He leads in not a self-serving way but looks out for what is best for Armonk and its small business owners.”

Skip Beitzel, owner of Hickory & Tweed, noted, “Under Neal’s leadership, I feel like a Chamber groupie. Neal has helped pull together a core group of volunteers that affect a lot of things for many merchants and small businesses here in Armonk. We finally have a reason for being.”

“The Chamber has been so supportive of me,” said Connie Petrovich, owner of Armonk House Restaurant. “Their members were checking on me during construction and once I opened. We’ve even had a monthly Chamber meeting at my restaurant.”

Race participants at the 2015 Cider and Donut Festival
Race participants at the 2015 Cider and Donut Festival

One of Schwartz’s main goals as Chamber President is to draw customers to town and ensure Armonk is a place where families can shop locally and have fun. With the opening of
Armonk Square, Schwartz and the Chamber decided to create First Thursdays, offering art, music, in-store promotions, dining and wine tastings in downtown Armonk that occurred the first Thursday evening of each month from June through September. “Each month we learned something about how to improve the event the following month.” The event was so successful and well-received that the Chamber will expand it to five Thursdays this summer spanning from May to September.

Schwartz is keenly aware of Armonk’s heritage and what makes the town unique. “Years ago there was a cider mill on Old Route 22 that people throughout Westchester and even New York City would come to for decades with their children to taste doughnuts and drink cider. We wanted to create another event that was fun for the family so we decided to have a Donut and Cider Festival in the fall.” The festival is now combined with Jamie’s 5K “Run for Love,” a race that is held in memory of Jamie Love, a Byram Hills cross country student who passed away while studying at the University of Vermont of an undetected heart ailment. The number of race participants has increased in recent years and spectators and residents alike enjoy the donuts and cider post-race.

Another Chamber event that has grown in popularity is the Armonk Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Golf Outing and Dinner at Whippoorwill Club. “The event used to be a golf outing exclusively for Chamber members but we [the Chamber] decided to start honoring an individual who has a long-standing commitment to the betterment and enrichment of the community and open up the event to the public,” Schwartz explained. “This year’s honoree is interior designer Susan Geffen, who has been instrumental in bringing theater to the North Castle library, the planning of the Armonk Outdoor Art Show and serving on numerous town boards.” The 2016 event is scheduled to take place on May 23.

Jamie’s Race for Love 2015 participants line up for donuts at the Cider and Donut Festival.
Jamie’s Race for Love 2015 participants line up for donuts at the Cider and Donut Festival.

One of the highlights of the town is the annual Frosty Day parade. Schwartz reminisces, “During a Chamber meeting, one of our members mentioned that the ‘Frosty the Snowman’ songwriter was from Armonk. We brainstormed and nurtured the Frosty Day idea.” Although a separate group, Friends of Frosty, organizes the event now, the Chamber first brought the idea to fruition and still supports it. “The greatest thing about Frosty is that I was walking in Armonk Square at a First Thursday event this past summer and this dad goes to his child, ‘That’s where we stood for the parade.’ Want to talk about a local hometown memory?”

Echoing Schwartz’s comments about making memories, Wilder adds, “The Chamber aims to create memories so that people will continue to come back and keep their shopping and services local.” With Schwartz’s leadership and the Chamber hard at work with the business community, look out for more memory-making in Armonk on the horizon.

Stacey Pfeffer lives with her husband and three young children in Chappaqua.  While she loves shopping in her hometown, she can often be seen frequenting stores in neighboring Armonk.