Buunni Coffee located at 3702 Riverdale Avenue which has been open for over three years will be closing its doors at the end of January because it can not continue to operate at a loss as it has been since COVID-19 hit the city last year. While there is still six years to go on the lease co-founder Sarina Prabasi said that her landlord would rather have an empty store than let her continue at a fairer rent that would allow her business to survive.
There was a rally Saturday afternoon in front of the coffee shop where State Senator Alessandria Biaggi was joined by City Councilman Brad Lander to push the Commercial Vacancy Tax Bill in the State Senate, the City and State Recovery Lease Program, the City Councils Small Business Jobs Survival Act and Commercial Rent Stabilization Bill. Three of the candidates Mina Lori, Jessica Haller, and Dan Padernacht in the March special election to replace the former Councilman, now Supreme Court Judge Andrew Cohen
were in attendance.
State Senator Alessandria Biaggi tells of how Buunni Coffee was the only store on the block to welcome her when she was running for the State Senate in 2018.
Councilman Brad Lander met candidate Biaggi at Buunni coffee, and talked about what needs to be done to save businesses like Buunni Coffee from going under.
Buunni Coffee owner Sarina Prabasi (r) explains why she has to close due to the loss of business during the Pandemic, and 11th City Council candidate Mino Lori said ‘Those in power need to act now to save other small businesses’.
The crowd of people who came to the rally in freezing weather.
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