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Shop Local and Support Local Businesses!
Plaza Voice Village of Great Neck Plaza
December 2016
Mayor Jean A. Celender, Deputy Mayor Ted M. Rosen
Trustees Ted M. Rosen, Gerry Schneiderman, Pam Marksheid, and Lawrence R. Katz
Clerk Treasurer - Patricia O’Byrne
Editor - Brian Hetey
Message from the Mayor
2
Don’t Look Now; Winter is Upon Us
3
The Business Corner; VGNP Welcomes, Approves More than Two Dozen Businesses in 2016
4
The Business Corner, Cont...
5
New Year, New Representatives
Veterans Day at the Atria
6
7th Annual Poetry Contest Submission Deadline Nearing
Showcase Your Artwork at Village Hall in 2017
7
Dates to Remember
Plaza Welcomes New Stores
8
Inside the Voice:
Did You Know… ...that the Village has
introduced a mobile parking
app by Parkmobile in our three
surface parking lots? With
Parkmobile’s mobile app, free
for iPhone and Android users,
once registered, paying for
your parking transaction takes
just a few seconds. You can opt-
in to receive a text message
notification 15-minutes prior to
your parking session ending,
and purchase more time
provided you haven't reached
your maximum allotted time.
Note, parking patrons will still
be able to pay for parking the
traditional way, using quarters
and $1 bills.
We hope you find the app
useful and convenient the next
time you visit and shop in the
Plaza!
We encourage everyone to
shop locally in downtown
Great Neck Plaza
throughout the Holiday
Season. Please support
your local businesses and
frequent the Plaza’s many
fine retail stores,
restaurants and service
establishments. We have
approximately 260 retailers
offering an array of food
cuisines, specialty goods
and products and personal
services. For this Holiday
Season the Village is
providing, in association
with the BID, “Free
Parking” for a maximum
of 4 hours in our three
surface parking lots to
support our local
merchants and shoppers on
five Saturdays starting
November 26, Small
Business Saturday, through
December 24. Of course,
remember that on Sundays,
all meters are “Free.”
Our retailers offer diverse
products and services;
everything from clothing
and sporting goods to paint
your own ceramics and pet
pampering gifts. Our
merchants are conveniently
located within walking
distance of most of our
apartment buildings and
single-family homes.
Additionally, there is
ample, “Free” parking in
our Plaza Centre and
Maple Drive municipal
garages after 5 p.m.
weekdays and on
Saturdays and Sundays.
Please be safe and enjoy
everything this Holiday
Season has to offer. Also,
help to give back to those
less fortunate. Metropolitan
Commercial Bank located
at 111 Great Neck Road is
collecting gently-used
coats as part of an annual
coat drive with New York
Cares. This non-profit,
and many other locally-
based service organizations,
including our volunteer
firefighters and emergency
response personnel, work
hard all year long to assist
members of the
community; they rely on
our help and support for
their operation and to
continue providing great
programs and services
offered to our residents.
Remember them in this
season of giving!
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Message from the Mayor
Dear Friends,
Our Department of Public Works (DPW) crew has been
busy preparing for the winter storm season. They have
winterized the fleet of trucks and this equipment is ready
to be outfitted with sanders and snow plows as we can
anticipate that Mother Nature will put forth a wintery mix
of precipitation in the
coming weeks. We have
plenty of reserves of salt
and salt/sand ready to
spread on our streets,
parking lots and public
facilities to keep patrons
safe. Our pay loader is
ready to assist in the
transport of snow piles,
should we have a large
snow storm of 18 inches
to several feet or more.
When this happens, we
must make many sweeps
of the roadways and pile
snow where ever we can
to make our roadways
passable; i.e. in our parking lots, at the ends of streets and
mid-block. Once we have the snow piled, we utilize the
pay loader to load these piles into our large trucks to
transport the snow to a vacant piece of property we arrange
with the property owner for the melting of snow in an out
of the way place. This way we are able to restore back
parking spaces to assist our residents, many of whom are
dependent on on-street parking, and ensure the quality of
life in the community.
Our DPW crew does a fantastic job often having to stay
through the night clearing the snow and making sure our
roads remain passable and safe. This task would be much
easier if people just stayed off the roads and heeded our
advice to park in our two structured parking garages.
Parking in the garages helps to keep Village streets open to
assist our DPW in clearing snow. We ask this too
regarding our main arteries, Middle Neck Road, South
Middle Neck Road, Grace Avenue, Great Neck Road and
Cutter Mill Road, which are Nassau County roadways and
the County has similar needs to have minimal cars parked
so they can clear the snow curb to curb on their roadways.
Parking in our garages has the added benefit of not having
to dig out your buried car, which in a blizzard can be a
back-breaking and difficult job.
In the past few years we have put out “Snow Emergency,
No Parking” signs to remind residents who are parking on-
street that alternate side of the street regulations are not just
for street sweeping. We utilize those days for snow
removal to clear back piles and restore more parking areas.
It allows for an improved winter storm response. The
Board of Trustees and I are proud of our staff and the
wonderful job they do
before, during and after
snow and ice storms. We
ask for your patience and
understanding and to
realize that when it comes
to a congested and built
up area such as Great
Neck Plaza, which
permits on-street parking,
and parking overnight, it
makes snow plowing that
much more difficult. We
know that having parking
close to your home or
apartment is a quality of
life issue and we will
endeavor to work
diligently to maintain our roadways and restore parking as
quickly as possible following a storm, to the best of our
ability.
Please subscribe to our e-newsletter as we send e-mail
blasts with important reminders regarding snow storms,
snow removal efforts and where parking is available. A
message is always put on our phone system, (516) 482-
4500, after 4:45 p.m. detailing any suspended parking
regulations, parking in our garages during a snow event, etc.
On behalf of our staff, Board of Trustees and myself, we
wish you a wonderful and joyous holiday season, and best
wishes for a healthy, Happy New Year!
Sincerely,
Jean Celender, Mayor
Page 2 December 2016 Plaza Voice
The Plaza’s fleet of DPW trucks are being prepped for anything
Old Man Winter may throw our way. We ask for our residents’
help in making snow removal efforts as easy as possible.
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Page 3 December 2016 Plaza Voice
Don’t Look Now; Winter is Upon Us It’s true, we’re afraid to say, but “winter is coming.” If the
recent string of bitterly cold weather is any indication,
winter has returned from its time in the southern
hemisphere with a frigid resolve. Not to
add insult to injury, but our most recent
track record with snowfall doesn’t look
to favor our odds of avoiding a scene
out of a winter wonderland. We know,
we don’t want to think about it either,
but it’s better to be prepared to face our
fear than when we’re at the 11th hour.
To get you through this winter season,
the Village wanted to give you some
tips and reminders of guidelines you
should remember should Mother Nature
decide to sprinkle snow over the Great
Neck peninsula.
Although snowfall could put on a
spectacular display worthy of a Kodak
moment, sitting snow on sidewalks and
roadways could cause major safety
issues for pedestrians and motorists
alike. To avoid icing and hard-packed
snow, it is imperative to clear your
sidewalks in a timely fashion. In addition to being safe for
all those involved, it is also the law. Under Village code,
snow and ice removal must be done within four hours after
final snowfall. The responsibility to clean snow and ice
from sidewalks, regardless of if you are a homeowner or
business owner, is solely that of the adjoining property
owner.
Commercial property owners, when shoveling the
sidewalk in front of your business, be aware that your
customers’ access from their car to your storefront will be
blocked if you pile snow adjacent to the parking space.
We suggest you clear a path or cut through the snow for
people to access the sidewalk from their car.
Additionally, if your property is adjacent to a crosswalk, it
is also your responsibility to clear a four-foot wide path
from the curb of the crosswalk to your sidewalk. Equally
as important, should your property have a fire hydrant on
the premises (i.e., in front of your business or home), it is
once again your responsibility to create a path to the
hydrant and clear a two-foot perimeter around the hydrant.
In the case of an emergency, emergency personnel will
need to be able to not only locate the hydrant, but also be
able to access the area. Your help maintaining a snow-free
hydrant is vital should an emergency arise.
Above all, under no circumstance, never shovel snow
into the street. Not only is this action extremely
dangerous, it is against the law and punishable by fine.
Shoveling snow into the street,
especially large blocks of snow, creates
a hazardous situation for motorists and
hampers snow removal efforts by Plaza
personnel. When clearing snow, please
place the snow on your property, away
from the street or sidewalk.
Now after clearing your sidewalk, the
last thing you want to do is then dig out
your car and have someone else take
your spot once you leave. Here’s the
best tip we can give you; avoid having
your car snowed in and park in our
garages! If there is a snowfall of four
inches or more, Plaza residents with a
valid VGNP street parking permit can
park in our two garages - Plaza Centre
and Maple Drive - for up to 24 hours
after snowfall while garage parking
regulations are suspended. Parking
spaces are first-come, first-serve, and
do fill up quickly during a snowstorm, so be sure to take
advantage of this option. Once parking regulations in our
garages are restored, residents, granted they don’t already
have a residential garage permit, would have to move their
vehicle before 9 a.m. the day of the restoration of the
regulations in order for space to be available for our
commercial, commuter and other garage permit holders.
One last tip, always bend your knees, keep your back as
straight as possible and do not throw snow over your
shoulder or to your side when shoveling in order to avoid
spending hours on end laying on a heating blanket post-
shoveling. To make your shoveling experience easier, be
sure to get a versatile shovel that doesn’t limit you to
throw, lift or push snow away. A fiber core handle is
lighter than wood, and the shorter distance between the
scoop and handle means less exertion of energy to shovel.
Be sure to pace yourself, take frequent breaks and
replenish your fluids to prevent dehydration. If you feel
any pressure or pain in your chest, stop immediately and
call for help.
So this winter season, remember these tips and guidelines,
and cross your fingers that Mother Nature spares us from
any significant snowfall. For more information, call
Village Hall at (516) 482-4500.
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Page 4 December 2016 Plaza Voice
The Business Corner; VGNP Welcomes, Approves More than Two Dozen Businesses in 2016
Where has the time gone? It’s hard to believe we are
already prepping for 2017 and all the exciting things the
new year is expected to bring. Before we start the
countdown to 2017,
it’s always good to
reflect on all the
good times we’ve
had in 2016. From
promenade nights,
to summer concerts,
to our annual street
fair and
beautification
projects we’ve
undertaken, the
scrapbook for 2016
is chock full with
great memories.
Besides these great
events, welcoming
our newest
businesses to the
Plaza community is
always one of the
most satisfying
aspects of our day-to-day operations. From meeting and
assisting prospective business owners through the process
of opening a business in the community, guiding them
during extensive renovations periods to their spaces and
signing off on the last permits before the business’
opening, the excitement and joy of cutting the ribbon for
the official welcoming celebration to the Plaza are some
of the moments we cherish most.
In 2016, we cut the ribbon many times and welcomed
numerous new or expanded businesses throughout the
Plaza’s business district to the community. Matter of fact,
in the last four months of 2016, we welcomed three new
businesses and one celebrating a new beginning in each
month with ribbon cutting ceremonies; ViVi Bubble Tea,
6 South Station Plaza (September), Makeup Queens, 31
Middle Neck Road (October), Nostlgc Eyewear, 62
Middle Neck Road (November), and dé-al salon
(December), who moved in to a new and improved space,
located just a few stores to the north, at 99 Middle Neck Road.
In addition to those businesses who have celebrated their
opening recently and are currently supplying an excellent
service and product to Great Neckers and those across
Long Island, the Plaza is eagerly awaiting the opening of
many more businesses who, in some cases, are just days
away from opening
their doors.
So in recognition of
the businesses who
have opened or those
business owners
who have received
approval from the
Board of Trustees to
operate a business in
2016, choosing
Great Neck Plaza as
the area to lay the
foundation and build
their business in our
community, we wish
to recognize them
for your viewing;
Avocado
Smoothie & Juice -
4 South Station Plaza **Coming Soon**
Bagel Station - 6A Bond Street, (516) 441-5051
Best Market - 40 Great Neck Road, (516) 684-4020
dé-al salon - 99 Middle Neck Road, (516) 466-0340
**New Location**
Foughnuts - 8 Bond Street **Coming Soon**
LaunchPad Great Neck - 3 Grace Avenue, (855) 852-
8624
Makeup Queens - 31 Middle Neck Road, (516) 472-
0250
Melody Salon & Spa - 43 South Middle Neck Road
**Coming Soon**
Mizu Restaurant - 68 Middle Neck Road, (516) 918-9535
Mr. Wish Tea Shop - 38 Middle Neck Road
**Coming Soon**
New Color Arts Academy - 15A Great Neck Road,
(516) 456-7890
New Fu Run Restaurant - 50 Middle Neck Road
**Coming Soon**
Nostlgc Eyewear - 62 Middle Neck Road, (516) 829-
1010
Ren Wen Noodle Factory - 7-9 Great Neck Road
**Coming Soon**
In October of 2016, the Village welcomed Makeup Queens, located at 31 Middle Neck
Road, to the Plaza community. Bringing over 30 years of experience in the cosmetic
retail industry, Makeup Queens has made a name for themselves for their high-end
cosmetic, beauty and skincare services. Carrying the top brands and highest of quality
products, Makeup Queens doesn’t offer any item they themselves wouldn’t use for their
own use.
Continued on page 5
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Page 5 December 2016 Plaza Voice
Royal Tea House -
1 Great Neck Road
**Coming Soon**
Saaho Village - 69
Middle Neck Road
**Coming Soon**
Teinei Ya Ramen - 5 South Middle
Neck Road
**Coming Soon**
T-Swirl Crepe -
71 Middle Neck
Road **Coming
Soon**
Village Asian
Fusion - 46 Middle
Neck Road, (516)
482-1923
ViVi Bubble Tea -
6B South Station Plaza, (516) 466-2502
Yummy Sushi - 25 Cutter Mill Road, (516) 531-9674
**New Management**
We are thrilled for all our new businesses who have
celebrated their grand opening over the course of the year
and for those businesses who are on the cusp of their
grand opening. Many in
the Plaza are looking
forward to you joining
the fabric of the
neighborhood. It gives
us great pride that you
chose our community
as the setting to open
your business and
provide your services.
We urge our residents
to not only visit and
support our newest
businesses, but all of
our businesses here in
the Plaza; when ‘main
street’ thrives, so does
the community.
For more information
regarding any of our newest businesses, be sure to reach
out to them directly or contact Village Hall at (516) 482-
4500. To receive announcements when our new
businesses are celebrating their grand openings, please
contact [email protected] to subscribe to our email
mailing list.
LaunchPad Great Neck, located at 3 Grace Avenue, celebrated their
ribbon cutting in March of 2016. Think ‘Shark Tank,’ LaunchPad Great
Neck is a business incubator, startup accelerator and co-working
community that provides the support and tools needed for startups and
entrepreneurs to grow their business and succeed. With locations across
Long Island, LaunchPad Great Neck features 39 private office and
three conference rooms across 10,000 square feet of work space.
VGNP Welcomes, Approves More than Two Dozen Businesses in 2016
VGNP 2017 Street Parking, Garage Permit Information
Plaza residents,
don’t forget to
renew/purchase
your street
parking permits!
With a VGNP
street parking
permits, residents
who live in multiple dwellings are
exempt from the three hour parking
limit on non-metered streets within
the Plaza.
To receive a permit, residents must
complete an application and submit an
current car registration and driver’s
license, both original, reflecting a
valid Great Neck Plaza address. If
your Plaza address is not reflected on
either your license or registration, you
must provide two proofs of residency
at a valid VGNP address; a signed
lease, a letter from the board/
management company, current utility
bill, credit card or bank statement.
Currently, the cost of the street
parking permit is $10, payable by
cash, check or credit card (Visa or
MasterCard), and is good for a two-
year period. Street permits are issued
at Village Hall, Monday through
Friday, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.,
and the new permits will begin being
issued on Monday, December 19th.
Please note, a street parking permit
does not exempt you from street
cleaning regulations or any other
parking regulations on our street, lots
or garages.
Additionally, those people interested
in purchasing/renewing their
residential, commercial or commuter
garage parking permits for either the
Plaza Centre or Maple Drive garages
can do so starting Tuesday, December
20th. Residential/Commercial garage
permits are currently $90 per quarter,
while commuter permits are $250 per
quarter. Residential, commercial and
commuter permits are processed
between the hours of 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
and 12 Noon to 1 p.m.
For more information regarding any
of our parking permits, please contact
Village Hall at (516) 482-4500 during
normal business hours, Monday
through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4:45
p.m.
Continued from page 4
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Page 6 December 2016 Plaza Voice
New Year, New Representatives Every two years during the month of the November, New
Yorkers from Buffalo to Montauk go to the polls and vote
for the candidate they want to represent them on the state
and federal levels, amongst other positions. While the high
number of campaign calls received or TV commercials
seen vouching for certain candidates may make you yearn
for the day after Election Day, it is important to not only
know who the candidates are, but very obviously, who
actually won the races! This past election cycle especially
applies to this logic, as our area has three new, yet
familiar, representatives who will be serving our interests
in Albany and Washington D.C., respectively.
On the federal level, former Nassau
County Executive (2002-2009) and
Mayor of Glen Cove (1993-2001),
Thomas Suozzi, was elected to represent
the 3rd Congressional District in the
115th United States Congress. The 3rd
Congressional District stretches from the
northeastern section of Queens to the
northwestern part of Suffolk County,
which includes the Great Neck peninsula.
Congressman-elect Suozzi replaces the
outgoing-Congressman, Steve Israel, who is retiring from
Congress.
When the 202nd New York State
Legislature convenes in Albany in the
new year, the Great Neck peninsula will
have two new representatives serving on
their behalf. In the New York State
Assembly, Tony D’Urso, former Town of
North Hempstead Councilman (1991-
2004), was elected to replace the outgoing
-Assemblywoman, Michelle Schimel,
who is retiring, in the 16th State
Assembly District. The 16th Assembly
District encompasses the Great Neck peninsula and
stretches to Mineola and Westbury.
The residents of the 7th New York State
Senate District elected Elaine Phillips,
former Trustee and Current Mayor of the
Village of Flower Hill, to represent them,
replacing outgoing State Senator, Jack
Martins, who ran for Congress. Twice
elected to serve as the Mayor of Flower
Hill, State Senator-elect Phillips’s district
represents the Great Neck and Port
Washington peninsulas, Mineola, Roslyn,
Westbury, Garden City, New Hyde Park, Floral Park and
Hicksville.
All of the aforementioned elected officials will be serving
for a term of two years and will be up for reelection in
November of 2018. On behalf of the Great Neck Plaza
community, we thank Congressman Israel,
Assemblywoman Schimel and State Senator Jack Martins
for their steadfast commitment and dedication in
representing our interests in Washington D.C. and Albany.
All these elected officials served us with great distinction
and their efforts to make a difference and help the
community will long be remembered. We wish Steve,
Michelle and Jack much good luck in their future
endeavors!
Additionally, we look forward to working with
Congressman-elect Suozzi, Assemblyman-elect D’Urso
and State Senator-elect Phillips to enrich our community
on behalf of our shared constituents.
Should you require assistance regarding a state or federal
level matter, do not hesitate to contact your
representatives or their staff. Whether you voted for them
or not, your elected officials are in higher office to
represent you and serve you, the constituents, first and
foremost.
Thomas Suozzi
Tony D’Urso
Elaine Phillips
Veterans Day at the Atria
Theodore Roosevelt once said “Patriotism means to stand by
the country.” Each Veterans Day, at our Atria Senior Living
facilities, the Plaza has the honor of celebrating our
community’s true patriots, the men and women who served
and defended our country home and abroad. Pictured above,
just a few of the veterans from Atria Great Neck with Mayor
Celender (left), who was honored to participate in the event.
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Page 7 December 2016 Plaza Voice
Poets interested in participating in the
Plaza's Seventh Annual Poetry
Contest, please take note that the
submission date is right around the
corner; Tuesday, January 10,
2017. Poets 18 years of age and older
residing in Nassau, Suffolk, Queens
and Brooklyn who wish to be
considered for the grand prize can
drop off their submissions in person
at Village Hall, located at 2 Gussack
Plaza, Great Neck, NY 11021, during
normal business hours, Monday
through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4:45
p.m., or via mail to the aforementioned
address, so long as it is postmarked by
January 10, 2017.
Along with the poets' three
original unpublished poems, a non-
refundable entry fee of $15, payable
by check or money order to Long
Island Traditions, is required. The
poems may be on any subject, in any
style, must have a title, and must
Poetry Contest Submission Deadline Right Around the Corner
not exceed more than 30 lines per
poem. We also ask that poets type
their poems in a single-space format.
Additionally, poets must include two
copies of each poem, one anonymous
and one with the poet's name and
address below the poem. A cover
sheet listing the poet's name, address,
phone number and email address, and
title of each poem, must be included
as well when submitting an entry.
The first prize winner will receive
$150 and a 20-minute reading at the
Great Neck Plaza Village Hall (2
Gussack Plaza, Great Neck, NY
11021) on Awards Day, April 2,
2017, at 12 noon. Second and third
prize winners will also receive cash
prizes and will read on Awards Day
as will two honorable mentions. In
addition, the winning poems will be
posted on village signposts and in the
waiting room of the Great Neck LIRR
station.
A free brunch will be served,
including muffins, bagels, coffee and
tea, and many more refreshments for
participants.
For more information regarding the
Plaza's Seventh Annual Poetry
Contest, please contact Village Hall at
(516) 482-4500.
If you are an emerging or established artist, looking for a
new venue to showcase your work, then you may want to
consider exhibiting with the Village of Great Neck Plaza.
We are interested in seeing your work and publicly
displaying it in the community. Our court room, in a
public municipal building space, is outfitted as a gallery
with hanging wires to accommodate a variety of picture
sizes. We are currently putting out this call for artists and
portfolio submissions for exhibits in 2017.
If you wish to consider exhibiting with us, please contact
the Mayor’s Assistant, at (516) 482-4500, or email
[email protected] , to set up an
appointment to view your portfolio and our exhibit hall.
Generally an exhibit is displayed for approximately 4 to 6
weeks. Works can be for sale; however, artists may not
label prices on their pieces, and instead may offer their
artwork for sale in a separate catalog handout listing. We
will also assist the artist in publicizing the exhibit and
hosting an artist reception - sponsored by the artist and at
their expense - should one be desired.
Showcase Your Artwork at Village Hall in 2017
During the month of December, the Plaza courtroom art
gallery exhibited Unleashed; Snapshots of Dogs at the Town of
North Hempstead Animal Shelter. A partnership between the
Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter and its non-profit
partner, The Shelter Connection, Unleashed showcases shelter
dogs out of the shelter and in their natural element, running
in the park, enjoying a game of fetch, and showing off their
playful sides, captured by photographer and Shelter
Connection volunteer, Maggie T. Mills.
Page 8
The Village is happy to welcome new businesses that are coming, have opened or have recently
expanded their business within the Plaza. Stop in and greet these merchants and say “hello.” They bring vitality, diversity and new
services to our community. If you are a new storeowner in town, new management, or are celebrating a milestone anniversary, the Plaza
would be happy to provide a free Ribbon Cutting Ceremony or help you celebrate your event. Just call the Mayor’s Office at 482-4500.
Some recent additions are:
Avocado Smoothie & Juice -
4 South Station Plaza *Coming
Soon*
Foughnuts - 8 Bond Street
*Coming Soon*
Melody Salon & Spa - 43
South Middle Neck Road
*Coming Soon*
We’re on the web...
www.greatneckplaza.org
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
FLUSHING, NY
PERMIT NO. 1599
Dates to Remember:
December 26th & January 2nd - In observance of Christmas Day and New Years Day,
Village Hall will be closed.
January 10th - 2017 First Quarter Parking Permit Period begins. See page 5 for more
information.
January 10th - Last day to submit original poetry for the 7th Annual Poetry Contest.
See page 7 for more information.
January 16th - In observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Village Hall will be closed.
The Plaza Welcomes New Merchants
VILLAGE OF GREAT NECK PLAZA
2 Gussack Plaza, P.O. Box 440
Great Neck, NY 11022-0440
Phone: (516) 482-4500
FAX: (516) 482-3503
E-mail: [email protected]
In November, the Village celebrated the grand opening up Nostlgc Eyewear,
located at 62 Middle Neck Road. In addition to the top brands in fashion, Nostlgc
carries their own exclusive line of retro frames that inspires the sophisticated
look of yesteryear. With hundreds of frames in-store and thousands more on
their website, Nostlgc Eyewear has just the look for you. For more information
regarding Nostlgc Eyewear, please give them a call, (516) 829-1010, or visit their
website, www.nostlgc.com.