An unassuming sign hangs over the bustling streets of Hillside Avenue, watching Bengali women drape their chunnis over their heads as they exit modest clothing shops. Sandwiched between a large grocery shop and a modest cell provider that boasts “unlimited calling to India,” Bollywood Video is easy to miss. With its services advertised in both English and Bangla, the storefront’s store front would resemble dozens of other small businesses in the neighborhood, were it not for its diminutive facade: a single door-sized hole lost among the lively Queens neighborhood. After entering the enclave, patrons are immediately met by a staircase that creaks at every step and mandates that they stoop, lest they bump their heads into the low ceiling.

Atop the staircase lies the office of Saeed, a young, exuberant entrepreneur who never fails to greet his customers with a smile. The store is partitioned into three sections, displaying a dissonant plethora of products and services. Posters of Bollywood “heros” and “heroines” line the largest wall, enclosing shelves full of old and new Bollywood films alike. On the far wall, nearest the windows that look out to Hillside Avenue, is an area for cell phone accessories ranging from cases to earphones to international calling cards. Opposite Saeed’s desk is an area for printing services. A stack of finished products leans against the printer, the most visible being a poster of a (presumably) Bengali girl on her sweet sixteen. The office is as cramped and aesthetically discordant as the neighborhood out the window. Saeed, with the limited space he rents, has found ways to optimize what his business offers.

When we ask Saeed to interview with us, he gladly accepts, offering us both his seat and another computer chair. The mood remains casual and hospitable, two qualities that Saeed himself emanates. We initiate the conversation by asking about his background in the neighborhood. Saeed has been living in Jamaica, Queens for over 29 years, and has owned Bombay Video for over 15. When we ask Saeed why he has decided to open an entertainment shop here, he hesitates. After mulling it over, Saeed responds, “I love this neighborhood. This is the only nice and clean Bangladeshi and Indian neighborhood.” The pride and sincerity in his voice are palpable.

Of his own accord, Saeed shifts the focus of the conversation to comment on the change the neighborhood has experienced. Saeed states, “Things have changed a lot, past 10 years, not even 10, the past 5 years. There’s triple the people.” We are curious if only the numbers have increased, or if the ethnic makeup of the community has changed as well.  Saeed says that the makeup of the community is still predominantly Bangladeshi and Indian, and the increase in these populations has made the lifestyle easier, speaking specifically to the cost of living. “There’s a lot of competition now, you can buy 5-pound potato for 1 dollar now” Saeed states. Upon being asked how he sees the neighborhood changing over the next five years, Saeed responds, “It’s going to become like Manhattan.” 

It is hard to imagine the towering skyscrapers of the city looming over the Hillside landscape, but much of the stereotypical Manhattan attitude already pervades the streets of the neighborhood. Saeed fears the interpersonal connections formed within the community are coming under fire as the neighborhood becomes more crowded (and more expensive).

It is clear that the biggest fear for Saeed is the increase in rent. Saeed elaborates, “The rent has been going up, the people have been taking advantage, the building owners.” He points to a deli that can be seen from the store and states, “Their rent was 4,500 dollars, right now he is asking for 10,000 dollars rent” which comes as a shock to both of us. As we are talking about the increase in rent, we notice a glass award on Saeed’s desk. Etched onto it are the words “Jamaica Bangladeshi Business Association.” It turns out that Saeed is the secretary of the JBBA, an organization intended to help struggling business owners in the neighborhood. When asked about the association, Saeed smiles fondly, “we all try to help each other, there is respect.”

Saeed’s business faces a unique problem. Due to the streaming of Bollywood movies online, Saeed has had to find an additional source of income. This is the reason behind the unique arrangement within the store – Saeed has decided to incorporate printing and cell phone gadgets into his business in an attempt to cast a wider net on the Hillside market. From the looks of it, Saeed is happy with his business, and in concluding the conversation, he leaves us with some food for thought. “You don’t need to know a business to run a business,” he explains, “there’s something called taking a risk.”

Saeed’s adaptability and willingness to explore new ventures is one of they key components of his business’ success. While rent continues to skyrocket and old business models quickly become obsolete in the face of changing technologies, Saeed’s Bombay Video has been one of the few constants on Hillside Avenue. Many other small business are crumbling, unable to keep up with drastic, sudden increases in the cost of living. Saeed mentioned businesses like Subzi Mandi, a storefront that has long presided over the neighborhood. Just recently (about two weeks ago), we had stopped in for a quick drink after our interview. Yet when we visited Saeed again last Friday, we were shocked to see the once-dominant Subzi Mandi facade had vanished.

Through the large window panes, we caught glimpses of an abandoned, dreary, all-too-quiet lot. With Saeed’s words resounding in our heads, we left feeling as empty as the old storefront.

Demographic and economic shifts in the past century have significantly changed the way small businesses in the neighborhood operate. Jamaica, Queens, has long been a financial center. The neighborhood was first settled in 1656 by the Dutch, when New York went by “New Netherlands.” Power shifts in the New World brought drastic political and demographic changes to the region, which was renamed “Jamaica” after the British gained control of the city, when it gained political significance as the county seat of Queens in 1683. Obviously, the neighborhood then and now are indistinguishable. The Jamaica of the 17th and 18th century was populated by western European immigrants who rode horses down a cobbled King’s Highway (now renamed Jamaica avenue) and was much smaller than the neighborhood is now. Jamaica’s history as an economic center stretches back to this time, when it became a trading center for produce. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Jamaica developed rapidly as government infrastructure like post offices and public schools were established.

To this day, the neighborhood remains something of a political center of Queens. It boasts the Queens Central Library, the headquarters of the Queens public library system (located not far from Hillside Avenue). York College, a City University of New York, is only blocks from Jamaica Avenue. Storefronts still dominate the busy avenues of Jamaica, though demographic changes (mostly in the mid to late 20th century) have significantly changed the neighborhood’s role and, as a result, its identity.

As this market analysis (composed partly by the New York Times) shows, 1940s Jamaica was a small neighborhood, housing only 36,000 residents. Yet even then, Jamaica was growing at a rapid pace, having increased population by nearly 25% in just a decade. The neighborhood was overwhelmingly white, with a .4% black and a .06% non-white other population. Unsurprisingly, monthly rent expenses were drastically lower than they are today, with only 260 families paying over $150 a month for rent (equivalent to ~$2,600 today). The vast majority of families in the Jamaica of the ’40s paid under $74 a month for rent (or $1,260 today). Interestingly, the analysis notes that the neighborhood’s stores “are used by families from many surrounding cities.” The painting provided by this analysis is one of a homogenous white residential community with a decently sized marketplace.

There are a few immediately noticeable changes, most notably the elimination of the subway tracks (which have since been moved underground) and the emergence of more storefronts. The area is also more populated, with more cars lining the streets. Increased infrastructure (like the re-organization of the subway tracks) is both a function of new technologies and a significant population growth. These demographic changes are exemplified in census tracts in the heart of the neighborhood, alongside Hillside Avenue. We chose a census tract from a dentist office we had visited in the neighborhood to observe some of these trends.

In 1950, the tract housed about 1,800 people. Today, it is home to over 4,300. The change can be attributed to the influx of South Asians into the neighborhood, which began significantly changing the neighborhood’s demographic landscape in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The Asian immigration truly picked up in the 80s. In this census tract, the Asian Population composed over 40% of the entire area’s population by 1990 (up from ~15% in 1980). The trend has continued over time, as the tract now has a 70% Asian population. This has had significant consequences on the area’s economic identity.

Now, stores are owned mostly by Bangladeshi men, who operate their shops either by themselves or with family members. Goods consist of South Asian groceries and clothing, though necessities like dental offices and cell-phone stores are also abundant. These, too, are owned and operated by South Asians. As a result of increased migration to the neighborhood and increased land value with the emergence of the large South Asian marketplace, rent prices have skyrocketed. Today, families in the neighborhood pay a median monthly rent of $2,200, meaning over half of Jamaica’s residents spend more than this monthly. Prior to this enormous population growth, less than .7% of the population paid more than $2,600 monthly (inflation accounted for).

The building that houses Bombay Video was constructed over 90 years ago. From the early 30’s to the late 50’s, the structure was home to a real estate company by the name of “Butterly & Green Inc.,” which frequently advertised in local newspapers. Research on the business revealed that the company’s president, James M. Butterly, credited much of his success to the building in which his business was located. In an interview with the Eagle, he stated:

“Our initial step in securing a large corner store in a key location at the Jamaica terminus of the 8th Ave. subway, where thousands of suburbanites pass daily, and utilizing its excellent excellent windows and sign space to the fullest degree, has enabled us to give the utmost prominence to our offerings.”

The emergence of South Asians in the neighborhood is a relatively recent phenomena, and one that has been the primary catalyst for the changes in the types of businesses found in the neighborhood.

Another recurring topic of conversation with the business owners was the increasing rent in the neighborhood, which seemed to trouble many of the entrepreneurs. This is epitomized in Saeed’s example of the struggling business over the past few years. What is interesting to note is that the median household income (for the neighborhood, not for census tract 454), after adjusted for inflation, has increased from $55,324, to $66,558,

from the year 2006 to 2014, but despite this increase in income, residents and business owners are still struggling. When comparing the ratio of income to poverty level from year 2006 to 2014, the number of individuals that are “Doing Poorly”, “Struggling”, or “Poor or Struggling” has increased by significant margins, while the percentage of the population that is “Doing ok” has decreased.

Change has been widespread on Hillside Ave. With the increase in diversity, new faces with new businesses have arrived and created a community they are proud of. It is unfortunate and disheartening to see a hardworking, involved community struggle strictly due to the incredible increases in rent, forcing many to close or relocate their businesses. Looking back, we see numerous ventures such as “Butterly and Green Inc” that have flourished and made a name out of the building, 168-25 Hillside Ave. Yet looking forward, we worry for Jamaica, Queens. Business owners are beginning to furrow their brows in frustration at increasing rent and competition. Seeing storefronts like Subzi Mandi vanish overnight, it is hard to imaging the Hillside Avenue of today will be around tomorrow. Yet whatever happens, if Saeed is any indication of the Jamaica populace, the neighborhood will find ways to adapt. We hope that 10 years from now, we will still be able to say that in an alleyway off of Hillside Avenue, an unassuming sign hangs over the bustling streets, watching Bengali women drape their chunnis over their heads as they exit modest clothing shops.

References

“Economics: Poverty Level, 2006” Map. Social Explorer. Social Explorer, n.d. Web (based on data from US Census Bureau)

“Economics: Poverty Level, 2014” Map. Social Explorer. Social Explorer, n.d. Web (based on data from US Census Bureau)

“Find a Photo of Your Home From the Big Bad ’80s.” INVESTIGATE NYC. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2016.

“Jamaica Firm Made Strides During First Year.” Brooklyn Daily Eagle Jan.-Feb. 1941: 33. Print.

New York Times, et al., comps. New York City Market Analysis: Jamaica. New YorkCity: New York Times, News Syndicate Co., Daily Mirror, Hearst Consolidated, 1943. 1940’s New York. Web. 31 May 2016.

“Population Density, 1950.” Map. Social Explorer. Social Explorer, n.d. Web. 1950. (based on data from U.S. Census Bureau)

“Population Density, 1990.” Map. Social Explorer. Social Explorer, n.d. Web. 1990. (based on data from U.S. Census Bureau)

“Population Density, 2014.” Map. Social Explorer. Social Explorer, n.d. Web. 2014. (based on data from U.S. Census Bureau)

Saeed. Personal interview. Mar. 2016.

“Welcome to 1940s New York: NYC Neighborhood Profiles from 1943, Based on the 1940 Census.” Welcome to 1940s New York: NYC Neighborhood Profiles from 1943, Based on the 1940 Census. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2016.