Bright And Merry: Holiday Lights Appear In Sheepshead Bay For The First Time In A Long Time

Our beloved Sheepshead businesses joined together to pitch in and install holiday lights above Sheepshead Bay Road and Emmons Avenue.

This is the first time Sheepshead Bay has had holiday lights in the center of town in 15 years, according to State Assemblymember Steven Cymbrowitz. They represent a teamwork from the Sheepshead Bay Merchant’s Association and the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.

“The great variety of businesses that participated in this initiative represents just a taste of the things you can do in Sheepshead Bay, such as fantastic places to eat and drink, activities and hobbies for kids, and great stores that meet all of your family’s needs,” Cymbrowitz said. “We always knew we would come back stronger than ever after Hurricane Sandy. In addition to being beautiful, these holiday lights symbolize the sense of partnership and strength that we have as a community.”

The businesses that made the lights happen are  Opera Cafe Lounge, Anatolian Gyro, Il Fornetto, Liman, Next Door Restaurant, Yiasou Estiatorio Restaurant, Signature Restaurant, Nika Ballet Studio, Prime Boutique, Wheeler’s, Factory Café, Pearl Beauty Salon & Spa, Jimmy’s Famous Heros, Royal Bay, Monica’s Bridal, Arbuz Café, Gothic Press, Edible Arrangements and Verizon Wireless.

“We’re giving something back to the community and we want to bring people to the neighborhood and get in the holiday spirit,” said Metin Turan, the owner of Anatoli Gyro. “It’s not easy to get everyone together to give money to this.”

Opera Cafe Lounge donated most of the funding necessary for the lights with a whopping $12,800 and Anatolian Gyro gave a large chunk with $2,560, sources said. The total cost of the project was $28,000, according to Cymbrowitz’s office.

There are plans to have banners put up along with the lights to recognize the businesses that made the lights a possibility. According to Cymbrowitz’s office, they’re still working to get a city permit to allow for the banners.

The Sheepshead Bay Merchants Association (SBMA) isn’t as active as other neighborhood merchants associations or business improvement districts, and, according to Turan and other sources, most of the businesses in Sheepshead avoid having to contribute money to neighborhood improvement projects. These lights could mean the start of a more cohesive and active SBMA.

“We’ve been working to build up the Merchant’s Association for the last several years and we are proud of their growth,” Cymbrowitz’s office said. “In the future, we are hopeful that this is something we can look into.”