NEW YORK — Plans to close two beloved Staten Island businesses were discussed at a Community Board meeting Thursday night.
A large crowd attended the meeting in West Brighton. The majority spoke out against a plan to close S&T Bagel and Forest Card & Gifts and replace them with a licensed cannabis dispensary.
The businesses have been tenants at the Forest Avenue strip mall for decades and residents say they are a vital part of the area.
“With the proliferation of illegal shops, it doesn’t feel that this is fair to put here, specifically … It’s very difficult to make the argument that this is a place that makes sense. Forest Avenue is filled with families, small businesses, people with children, houses of worship like the one we’re standing in right now,” Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton said.