Jerome Avenue Merchant Survey — Summary of Findings
Between March and July 2025, WHEDco and the Jerome Avenue Revitalization Collaborative (JARC) surveyed 187 small business owners across the Highbridge, Concourse, and Burnside neighborhoods of the West Bronx (NYC Council Districts 14 & 16), concentrated along Jerome Avenue and surrounding commercial corridors. The survey looked at business conditions, neighborhood needs, and support priorities.
Deep roots, real strain. The merchant community is firmly anchored in the neighborhood—90% of business owners live in the same Bronx community where they work, and a third have operated there for 6 to 10 years. But many are under pressure: 57% reported decreased sales over the past year, 93% rent their space (some without formal leases), and 68% need financial assistance in the form of grants and loans.
Safety tops the list of concerns. 81% named community safety as the district’s top need. Most merchants feel the streets are unsafe at night (84%) and unclean (74%), and a majority point to lighting (70%) and storefront façades (62%) as in need of repair.
Strong appetite for collaboration. Despite the challenges, merchants are motivated to work together—83% expressed interest in networking and collaborating with one another, 64% want to partner with other businesses, and 42% want to advocate for district improvements. One in three is planning to expand.
Where merchants want help. Beyond financial assistance (68%), priorities include marketing and advertising support (42%), tech and digital support (26%), and accounting and bookkeeping help (23%). Notably, only 4% have a website and 27% aren’t active online at all, pointing to a clear opportunity for digital-skills programming.
What this means. Taken together, the findings describe a business community facing economic strain and safety concerns, but with strong local roots and real motivation for collective action. In response, WHEDco and JARC are offering free business support and resource navigation, grant and loan application assistance, commercial lease info sessions with pro bono referrals, marketing and digital-presence workshops, and peer networking and district advocacy.
We heard you. Now let’s get you support.
