#VICTORY! Grassroots Community Effort Wins New Lease for Errol’s Bakery
For Immediate Release: February 19th 2017 Contact: Imani Henry 646 342 9673
Grassroots Community Effort Wins New Lease for Errol’s Bakery
Long-time Caribbean-owned small business will remain in Flatbush, Brooklyn
#SaveErrolsBakery #ThisIsFlatbush #Beforeitsgone #TakeItBack #BrooklynisNotforSale #WeLoveErrols
After close to 3 months of struggle, 3 community rallies, and over 1500 petition signatures, the Flatbush cultural institution, Errol’s Bakery, has won a new lease at 661 Flatbush Avenue. Renowned in New York City for its wide selection of Jamaican patties and its jerk chicken , Errol’s Bakery is a beloved Caribbean establishment. “We just want to thank everyone in the community who supported us. From the people in the neighborhood who came out, to our people in The Caribbean and Europe who signed the petition, we couldn’t have gotten a lease without you,” said Errol Miller, the co-owner of Errol’s Bakery.
In 2016 the lease at 661 Flatbush Ave expired. Although Dorothy and Errol Miller had never been late on their rent in 15 years, they found themselves in court with their landlord Rothstein Management fighting for a new lease at an affordable rent. Eventually, the Millers were able to secure a temporary extension on their lease but on December 16th, a judge ruled that they would have to vacate on February 28, 2017. Currently NYC commercial tenants are not guaranteed lease renewals and face exorbitant rent increases. For the last 30 years NYC activists have fought for the passing of The Small Business Jobs Survival Act (SBJSA) which “supports a 10-year minimum lease, with equal negotiating power as the landlord for new terms". With the rapid gentrification of Flatbush many long-time small and family-owned businesses, especially along Flatbush Avenue, are losing their leases and being displaced.
In late November, the anti-gentrification group Equality for Flatbush -E4F, received word about the situation and reached out to the Millers. E4F then put out the call for people to come a “Community Support Day for Errol’s Bakery” on December 17th . E4F also launched an online petition “Calling on Rothstein Management to: ‘DO THE RIGHT THING!’” which received 1462 signatures with another 100+ people signing onto a paper petition. Filmmakers Rehana Esmail and Sina Zekavat, also worked with E4F to create a campaign video .
“The #SaveErrolsBakery campaign has been very important to us because it not only demonstrates how much people appreciate small businesses in our neighborhoods but it also shows what is possible when a community comes together.” said Soraya Palmer, a lifelong Flatbush resident and Equality for Flatbush leader. “People from all over Brooklyn and NYC in general, participated in getting out flyers and posting the petition on social media. We had over 25 people come out in a snow storm, on January 7th to show their support for Errol’s Bakery .
Founded in 2013, Equality Flatbush does anti-police repression, affordable housing and anti-gentrification organizing in Flatbush and East Flatbush, Brooklyn. E4F’s Brooklyn-wide anti-gentrification campaign, BEFORE IT'S GONE // TAKE IT BACK: Documenting Brooklyn - Fighting Gentrification, provides political organizing, legal and housing resources to Brooklyn tenants, homeowners and small businesses.
“Caribbean businesses like Errol's Bakery are part of the backbone of this neighborhood. E4F is so thrilled to celebrate this victory with the Millers and our neighbors,” said Soraya Palmer. “ What this victory shows is that we can stop the displacement of residents and businesses in our neighborhoods. We really can “Take It Back Before It’s Gone!” ###
