New company takes over concessions at Rockaway Beach Boardwalk, raising fears of displacement
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Rippers on the Rockaway Beach Boardwalk. Eagle file photo by Katie Finkowski
By David Brand
A new company has officially taken over concessions along the Rockaway Beach Boardwalk, leaving an uncertain future for longtime vendors on the beloved beachfront.
The New York City Parks Department signed a concession agreement last month with Rockaway Beach Bazaar LLC, a company formed by the owners of the nearby Riis Park Beach Bazaar and the defunct Brooklyn Bazaar. The 15-year contract allows the firm to operate concessions at Beach 106th, Beach 97th and Beach 86th Streets.
The plan to award the contract to Rockaway Beach Bazaar had faced significant opposition from local business owners, neighbors and patrons of popular eateries like Rippers, Low Tide and Caracas Arepas Bar who feared rent hikes, revenue loss and displacement. More than 2,000 people submitted messages opposing the plan ahead of a January public contract hearing.
Caracas Arepas Bar owner Maribel Araujo was one of the vendors who testified at the hearing to describe her concerns about losing her spot in the Beach 106th Street concession area.
Now that the deal is done, Araujo said she would like to work with Rockaway Beach Bazaar to remain in place, nearly a decade after first opening.
“After building Caracas Rockaway from scratch back in 2011 we have built a great business and a lot of connections and friendships and we would love to stay,” Araujo said Monday.
Over the past several weeks, a fierce online movement to fight the deal died down and the city formalized the contract.
Rockaway resident Sarina Parachini, whose husband owns Rippers, said in January that the existing businesses were crucial to restoring the boardwalk after Hurricane Sandy, an important consideration for the next operators.
“These are all Rockaway businesses owned by people from the Rockaways,” Parachini said. “We just got through COVID. We were on the boardwalk for Sandy, we rebuilt after Sandy in a huge way.”
Both the Parks Department and the owners of Rockaway Beach Bazaar say the company is committed to retaining longtime tenants.
“We are in the middle of negotiating with the existing food vendors and should have agreements in place over the next week or two, which we will announce once confirmed,” said Rockaway Beach Bazaar owners Belvy Klein and Aaron Broudo in an email.
But the new lease agreements will have one key drawback for vendors: Rockaway Beach Bazaar will control alcohol sales, a major source of income along the boardwalk. It will be an even bigger blow to businesses if Rockaway Beach Bazaar increases rent.
Broudo told Grub Street that there “are ways to make a lot of money in the summer with the food concession,” even without revenue from alcohol sales.
Under the terms of the contract, Rockaway Beach Bazaar LLC will pay the city between $300,000 and $453,777 each year for the next 15 years, according to contract details. The amount increases annually.
Rockaway Beach Bazaar also plans to expand vending further east along the boardwalk, turn the 97th Street building into a year-round venue, and provide free wifi along the boardwalk, said Parks Department spokesperson Meghan Lalor.
“Rockaway Beach Bazaar has committed to working with existing food vendors on the boardwalk to keep much of the same great tastes that beachgoers know and love,” Lalor said.
