Within the last few years Garden City's fears about vacancies along its main thoroughfares have been turned around as new businesses open and bring success to the Village's downtown. Grand openings are becoming more and more frequent events, and now grand reopenings are becoming popular as pre-existing establishments enhance their businesses and commemorate their progress. The Village itself recently enjoyed a grand reopening of a sort with the ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Village Pavilion, where the Streetscape Beautification Project was officially recognized.

Recently, new restaurants have added their flair to the generous offerings of cuisine in the Village. Such new establishments include The Golden Kebab, The Soup Exchange and Waterzooi, each finding a niche on Franklin Avenue and drawing fans to their kitchens. Where concern about the closure of one time downtown staple Kazemi arose, hope took its place as the owners of Waterzooi stepped forward and announced plans to open their new Victory Oyster Bar and Smokehouse at that location.

While 888 Franklin Avenue has long stood empty, the Albanese Development Corporation has brought new hope by working with Kings Super Market to secure a lease of the building. Many have expressed that they look forward to the grand opening of this upscale food boutique within the Village. Kings is a reason to celebrate for many residents, but some were concerned about the threat it posed to the already existing markets on Seventh Street. Here too hope has grown as Grand Union itself took preemptive measures to ensure its viability in the future.

What was once, to be frank, described by most in the Village as a rather dismal supermarket has just reopened as the new Garden City Grand Union Fresh Market. It has been completely remodeled inside and redecorated. The official Grand Reopening was celebrated Thursday, Nov. 18 at which time residents poured into the store to not only pick up a few things, but see for themselves if the promises of change were realized. Shoppers mingled with countless Grand Union officials on hand with blue blazers and green name tags and more people in business suits on cell phones than one usually finds gathered around the Java Hut of any supermarket.

J. Wayne Harris, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Grand Union commented in a written statement just prior to the reopening, "Our Garden City Fresh Market represents an exciting new approach to food retailing." As customers enter the rear entrance from lot 7S of the store (located at 153-159 Seventh Street) they can pick up the new Grand Union Fresh Market Store Directory, which promises to make shopping fun. The directory shows that there is now a coffee counter, service deli, hot foods section, cheese section, separate from the regular dairy section toward the other side of the store, and a special service seafood and meats section. There is an expanded produce section, as well as a "Grab 'n Go" and baked goods area, complete with an artisan breads stand.

Also last week, Edmund's Showcase Restaurant (at 825 Franklin Avenue) celebrated the grand opening of their new Gazebo Café. The restaurant has gotten into the spirit of the revitalization project and its proximity to the new Village Pavilion (on the north east corner of the intersection of Franklin and Stewart Avenues) with its new café's name. Also, the new Parisian inspired black tables and chairs on the sidewalk are not only an extension of the very popular al fresco dining enjoyed on Seventh Street, but a tribute to the new brick sidewalks and other streetscape improvements. Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Althea Robinson spoke very favorably about the festivities at Edmund's held last Wednesday, and was joined in her praise of everything from the ownership to the pastries offered at the party by a number of other residents and patrons.

Soon to come in the Village will be the grand opening of the New York Sports Club, scheduled for this January, at 855 Franklin Avenue (in what was once Loeser's and then A&S). The sports club, another tenant courted and secured by the Albanese Development Corporation, is well known throughout the New York metropolitan area, boasting celebrity members in its Manhattan clubs. The chain also has clubs throughout the eastern seaboard, to which members can visit with a special membership passport when away on business or holiday. Smith Barney already has taken up residence in the upper floors of the building and Albanese hopes to attract upscale retailers to the first floor of the property.

While some residents still openly express concern about the possible departure of Saks from Franklin Avenue and the now vacant Frankel's building, and others still argue that vacancies would be better than the discount stores that have kept some other locations from collecting dust, most residents and members of the business community with whom this publication has spoken have all said that the Village is clearly on the rise and will emerge again, as one resident stated, "as the Fifth Avenue of Long Island once more."

Other changes to the Village include: 660 West (at 660 Franklin Avenue) has become Maxwell's, under the same ownership; the Garden City Natural Wellness Center has opened at Hampshire House (111 Seventh Street, Suite 111) and specializes in holistic medicine such as deep therapeutic massage, aroma therapy, colon hydrotherapy, foot reflexology, food combining, and detoxification programs; The Garden City Hotel has become the home of the Belmont Festival, which was quite successful in its inaugural year last June; and di Salvo Galleries, Ltd. has opened at 130 Seventh Street, where Holbro Paint Co. was previously located, which specializes in fine antiques and interiors (and loaned the columns to the Village for the Franklin Avenue Ribbon Cutting).

Waiting to see what is yet to come for the Village has transformed from pensive worry to excitement. In just a few short years the mood of the Village has returned to a sense of hope and prosperity. The newly installed Village clock at the corner of Stewart and Franklin Avenues counts down to Garden City's future as it also stands as a symbol of the Village's grace and style.