A new monthlong campaign to shine a spotlight on women-owned small businesses in the city kicks off on Friday.
Bus shelters, LinkNYC kiosks and individual storefronts will feature promotions for “Shop Women Owned NYC,” a partnership between the city and American Express.
There are more than 350,000 woman-owned businesses across the five boroughs which contribute more than $50 billion in city revenue every year, according to the city’s Economic Development Corporation and Department of Small Business Services.
But women who own their own businesses don’t always have the same resources as their male counterparts, like capital and mentorship, officials said.
The program, timed to coincide with Women’s History Month, hopes to direct shoppers to these businesses.
“With their passion and ingenuity, women entrepreneurs keep New York’s economy thriving and its neighborhoods unique,” Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen said in a statement. “[The campaign] will shed light on the hundreds of thousands of women retailers throughout the city and will drive traffic to their businesses.”
Several women-owned businesses will be highlighted in the promotional posters, including Lockwood, a gift shop in Astoria; Chinatown plant seller The Sill; Lower East Side vegetarian restaurant Dirt Candy; and Prospect Heights yoga studio Urban Asanas.
A map of women-owned businesses is available at women.nyc, a website started by the city to help women connect with services that range from finding a job to parenting resources and legal assistance.
