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CONTACT: Essie Lash, Heart of Brooklyn
(718) 638-7700, elash@heartofbrooklyn.org

Meet the Extraordinary People in Prospect Heights!

Heart of Brooklyn Launches New Postcard Campaign, Announces Summer Block Party in Partnership with Neighborhood Merchant Associations

(July 27, 2010 - Brooklyn, NY) Heart of Brooklyn (HOB), in partnership with the Washington Avenue-Prospect Heights Association and the Vanderbilt Avenue Merchants District, today announces a new campaign championing the small businesses that make Prospect Heights so unique. The Extraordinary People in the Heart of Brooklyn postcard campaign introduces residents and visitors to the owners behind the businesses in Prospect Heights, with 23 merchants featured on free postcards available throughout the neighborhood and at the Heart of Brooklyn cultural institutions. Each postcard features an “Extraordinary Deal” that can be redeemed at participating businesses through the end of the summer season.

Local business owners, elected officials and community stakeholders – including Paul Nelson, Executive Director of NYC Department of Small Business Services’ Commercial Revitalization Initiatives; Eileen Holmes, Vice President, Retail Market Manager, TD Bank; and representatives from the office of NYC Council Member Letitia James – celebrated the new campaign at a launch party at Café Shane on Washington Avenue on July 20.

“On Washington Avenue and Vanderbilt Avenue, our diversity is our strength,” said Vanderbilt Avenue Merchants District President Ellen Fishman, owner of Amorina and Aliseo Osteria del Borgo. “My husband and I own two restaurants on Vanderbilt Avenue. The eclectic mix of businesses here, on display in the Extraordinary People postcards, is what makes Prospect Heights a special place to live and work.”

“The Heart of Brooklyn cultural campus is right next door to vibrant dining, shopping and nightlife,” said Heart of Brooklyn Director Ellen F. Salpeter. “With the Extraordinary People campaign, we hope to introduce visitors and residents to the amazing small businesses and hardworking owners that are our community’s backbone.”

Prospect Heights’ unique offerings have already caught the attention of The New York Times and AM New York in 2010. Get to know the neighborhood this summer by visiting Wash Ave Rocks! on August 21. The all-day extravaganza will celebrate local businesses and feature a restaurant “taste-off”, live DJ, and fashion exhibition. Hop on board The HOB Connection free shuttle on August 7, picking up riders at Brooklyn Museum’s Target First Saturday for a tour around the neighborhood, and offering special discounts at participating merchants along the way.

Extraordinary People, Places and Deals in the Heart of Brooklyn campaign support provided by: Bank of America, Brooklyn Community Foundation, Deutsche Bank, M&T Charitable Foundation, NYC Council Member Letitia James, NYC Department of Small Business Services, NYS Senator Eric Adams, TD Charitable Foundation; Vanderbilt Avenue Merchants District and the Washington Avenue-Prospect Heights Association. For more information, visit www.heartofbrooklyn.org/extraordinary.

Photo (above) by Heart of Brooklyn. Cafe Shane employees with an image of their business’ postcard, featuring owner Luther Williams from the Extraordinary People in the Heart of Brooklyn campaign. 

Heart of Brooklyn (HOB) is a partnership of the leading cultural institutions located near Grand Army Plaza in central Brooklyn: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Public Library, Prospect Park, and Prospect Park Zoo. Heart of Brooklyn encourages tourism and learning by making its world-class collections and historic treasures more visible and accessible. As an integral part of Brooklyn’s renaissance, Heart of Brooklyn is committed to strengthening the future of its neighborhoods. Learn more at www.heartofbrooklyn.org.

Established in August 2007, the Washington Avenue-Prospect Heights Association (WAPHA) provides support services for community initiatives in the Crown Heights/Prospect Heights neighborhoods, bound by Washington Avenue and adjoining cross streets between Atlantic Avenue and Eastern Parkway. For complete local news, promotions and events, visit www.washington-avenue.org.

Building on a decade of leadership, the reinvigorated Vanderbilt Avenue Merchants District (VAMD) serves as the commercial backbone for Vanderbilt Avenue in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn: promoting businesses on Vanderbilt Avenue, between Grand Army Plaza and Atlantic Avenue; fostering an environment conducive to business success, as well as community involvement; and connecting members with local government agencies, officials and elected officials. Learn more at www.vanderbiltave.com.

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