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Three Village Chamber of Commerce

Right Coast Taqueria celebrated the grand opening of  its newest location at 4088 Nesconset Highway in East Setauket with a ribbon cutting on Jan. 5. 

Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, members of the Three Village Chamber of Commerce and members of the Three Village Historical Society joined owners David Preisler and Richard Zoob along with General Manager John Negrinelli in the celebration.

The business now has four locations throughout Long Island, including Deer Park, Ronkonkoma and Mineola. The restaurant, which was first established in 2018 at its Deer Park location, serves Mexican food including tacos, burritos, nachos, quesadillas, fajitas and much more.

“Right Coast Taqueria had great food and a fun beach vibe, just what we needed on a cold day as we welcomed them to the community. Wishing them the best of luck, now and in the future,” said Councilmember Kornreich.

For more information, call 631-940-8300. To order online, visit www.rightcoasttaqueria.com.

The Three Village Community Trust, the Three Village Civic Association, the North Suffolk Garden Club, the Three Village Chamber of Commerce and students and faculty at the Stony Brook School, and the Three Village Historical Society are partners in a Beautification Project at the Stony Brook Train Station.  Over the past year, significant progress has been made removing debris, weeds, and invasive plants from the landscaped beds. And a wide variety of Long Island native plants have been added to the landscaped beds.

As part of their ongoing efforts, the Stony Brook Train Station Beautification Committee invited local artist Michael Rosengard to create a unique art installation at the Station titled ‘All Aboard – Home For The Holiday.’ This outdoor work of art, located outside the front entrance of the historic Stony Brook Station House, creates a sense of wonder and whimsy to those walking or driving past the Station, highlights the history and importance of the Long Island Rail Road, celebrates the accomplishments of the Beautification Project, and helps kicks of the Holiday Season.

The community celebrated the opening of the exhibit on Monday, December 4th!

The Three Village Community Trust, the Three Village Civic Association, the North Suffolk Garden Club, the Three Village Chamber of Commerce and students and faculty at the Stony Brook School have engaged in a Beautification Project at the Stony Brook Train Station over the past year.

Significant progress has been made removing debris, weeds, and invasive plants from the landscaped beds. And a wide variety of Long Island native plants have been added to the landscaped beds.

As part of their efforts, the Stony Brook Train Station Beautification Committee invites the community to
the opening reception of a very special art installation created by local artist Michael Rosengard at the Station titled ‘All Aboard – Home For The Holidays’ on Monday, Dec. 4 from noon to 1 p.m. Meet the artist, take photos and enjoy bagels, coffee and cookies.

This outdoor work of art, located outside the front entrance of the historic Stony Brook Station House, creates a sense of wonder and whimsy to those walking or driving past the Station, highlights the history and importance of the Long Island Rail Road, celebrates the accomplishments of the Beautification Project, and helps kick off the Holiday Season.

For more information, call 631-942-4558.

Members of the Three Village Chamber of Commerce, Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, mascot Dee Dee the Chickadee, staff, friends and family joined Brooke Ramirez in celebrating the grand opening of her second retail location of Wild Birds Unlimited in Suffolk County with a ribbon cutting on Aug. 2. 

Ramirez (pictured with scissors) is also the owner of the Wild Birds Unlimited nature shop at 911 Montauk Highway in Oakdale, having been the manager of that store prior to her purchase in 2021. After successfully growing the business in Oakdale over 16 years, she has built another “nest” in East Setauket to “bring people and nature together” on the North Shore. 

Located at 4046 Nesconset Highway, East Setauket in the Kohl’s shopping center, Wild Birds Unlimited employs “certified specialists” who will help you shop for bird baths, feeders, houses and a large selection of birdfood for your backyard friends. In addition, the store offers a large selection of nature-themed gift items for the home and yard as well as personal care products. Members of their “Daily Savings Club” receive discounts on food products, earn points towards coupons called “bird bucks” and get member only specials.

Prefer to shop online? Wild Birds Unlimited delivers. The same people that help you in store will pack up your order and deliver it right to your door. 

“I’m happy to welcome a business like Wild Birds Unlimited because of the impact they have on building appreciation of our natural world. They are dedicated to not only benefiting wild birds and the broader environment but are also dedicated to educating residents about our local birds,” said Councilmember Kornreich. 

“This is a wonderful addition to our district, providing a haven for bird enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. I’m looking forward to seeing its impact in our community and ecosystem,” he said. 

Store hours are Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 631-403-4419 or visit eastsetauket.wbu.com.

The Three Village Chamber of Commerce honored three dedicated residents for their service to the business community at their annual Awards Dinner at the Three Village Inn in Stony Brook on June 14. 

John McGregor, pictured above with Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine and Charlie Lefkowitz, was honored as Member of the Year. Recipients of this award have shown to go above and beyond to support the Chamber and its mission. A member of the chamber for 8 years, he is Senior Vice President at Island Federal Credit Union and also a member of the Three Village Dads.

Martha Stansbury, pictured in top right photo with Supervisor Romaine, Ed Gutleber, Nicole Sarno, Charlie Lefkowitz, and Councilmember Kornreich, was presented with the Roy Dragota Award, named after the founder of the Three Village Chamber, for her outstanding commitment to and participation in the Chamber. Stansbury has served the chamber for 15+ years and currently serves as Treasurer.

Hope Kinney, pictured on right with Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn, David Prestia, Supervisor Romaine, and Councilmember Kornreich, received the Harold Pryor Award which is bestowed upon an individual that demonstrates a commitment to the Three Village Community through their faithful service. Kinney is the President of the Rotary Club of Stony Brook and is on the board of the Three Village Community Trust.

Landscapers help to maintain the land around chamber of commerce signs, including at Route 347 and Nicolls Road. Photo by Mallie Jane Kim

“I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives,” reads the quotation on garbage cans around Stony Brook village.

Carl Bongiorno & Sons added birdhouses to the land parcels they maintain. Photo by Mallie Jane Kim

The placement of the quote, attributed to Abraham Lincoln, couldn’t be clearer: If you are proud of where you live, help keep it clean. 

Green Machine Landscaping in Stony Brook and Carl Bongiorno & Sons, an East Setauket landscape business, are volunteering to do just that, in conjunction with the Three Village Chamber of Commerce, for the main entrances to the community. 

Jurisdiction over Long Island roadsides gets complicated, as some roads are the responsibility of the state, some of the county and others of the towns, so it’s easy for overgrowth to fall through the bureaucratic cracks.

“It gets to be a forgotten sister, and it needs somebody to take care of it,” said Bob Brown, a chamber board member. 

According to Brown, the chamber’s arrangement with Carl Bongiorno & Sons started shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, when Bongiorno Sr. approached TVCC wanting to do something to contribute to his community that was still reeling from the terrorist attacks in New York City. Starting with the land around chamber signs on Route 347, at both Nicolls and Old Town roads, his firm added retaining walls, planters and even birdhouses handcrafted by Bongiorno Sr. himself.

“We really take pride in making them nice,” said Carl Bongiorno Jr., who has maintained the firm’s relationship with the chamber. “Having birds chirping and living there, just enhances those signs and those entrances to the community even more.”

Bongiorno Jr. said his landscaping business also created a retaining wall with planting beds where Belle Mead Road meets Upper Sheep Pasture Road at the request of the chamber.

“A lot of people were traveling both ways along that stretch,” Bongiorno Jr. said. “At the time it was really run down, and we wanted to do something to clean up and brighten up that corner a little bit.”

Now, Brown said, the area near the chamber’s third sign, at Nicolls Road and Route 25A, is the “forgotten sister” about to receive some attention. For that, Green Machine Landscaping has stepped up to help. 

According to owner Jason Witover, Green Machine is planning to clean and beautify the area, amid the busy early summer landscaping season.

Witover, a native Three Villager, said he is happy to help. “We take pride in the community, and they’ve done a lot for us,” he said. “Anything I can give back to the community that’s helped me personally, and where I have my business as well, it’s my honor to do so.”

For his part, Brown sees the arrangement as directly related to the chamber’s core mission. “The goal of the chamber was to bring people together and use the force of all those people to make a better community,” he said. “I think we’ve been reasonably successful in doing that.”

Local citizen chips in

This kind of benevolence is not limited to professional landscapers in the community. The Three Village Civic Association recently recognized photographer Michael Rosengard of East Setauket for taking it upon himself to beautify an area nobody was taking care of.

Civic association president Charles Tramontana told attendees at a recent meeting that one weekend he was driving past Patriots Hollow State Forest on 25A when he noticed Rosengard “working like a dog” with tools to clear the sidewalk of overgrown vegetation, leaves and litter. Tramontana couldn’t resist pulling over to say “thank you.” Rosengard told him, “You know what? It’s good exercise.”

Tramontana pointed out that since it’s not always clear which agency has jurisdiction to maintain areas like that sidewalk, he believes such behavior deserves recognition.

“That’s the epitome of a good citizen,” he said.

Unveiling of the Jennie Melville garden. Photo from WMHO

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) has announced that the garden on the Jennie Melville Village Green in Stony Brook Village has been unveiled, thanks to PSEG Long Island and the Three Village Chamber of Commerce. The garden was originally planted in honor of Jennie Melville in 1948 by the Three Village Garden Club, which she founded. The Three Village Chamber of Commerce was the recipient of a $2,300 Beautification Grant funded by PSEG Long Island. The Chamber selected the Jennie Melville Village Green garden to receive a restoration including various plants, shrubs and flowers.

“PSEG Long Island is pleased to support the efforts of Three Village Chamber of Commerce to create this lovely garden in its shopping district,” said John Keating, manager of Economic and Community Development at PSEG Long Island. “The PSEG Long Island Beautification grant was crafted to help local businesses in downtowns and shopping areas that struggled through the pandemic. We are proud to fund this project that will help increase foot traffic to the area and enhance the shopping experience for everyone who visits.”

Pictured from left,  Jonathan Kornreich, Town of Brookhaven Councilmemeber; Mary Van Tuyl, Trustee, WMHO; Michael Ardolino, Board Member, Three Village Chamber of Commerce; Jane Taylor, Executive Director, Three Village Chamber of Commerce; Bill Faulk, Regional Public Affairs Manager, PSEG Long Island; John Keating, Manager of Economic and Community Development, PSEG Long Island; Dr. Richard Rugen, Chairman, WMHO; Charles Lefkowitz, President, Three Village Chamber of Commerce; Gloria Rocchio, President, WMHO; Carmine Inserra, Board Member, Three Village Chamber of Commerce; Nicole Sarno, Board Member, Three Village Chamber of Commerce; Kathleen Mich, WMHO Trustee; and Charles Napoli, Trustee, WMHO.

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation founded in 1939 by businessman and philanthropist Ward Melville. Inspired by his legacy to preserve historic and environmentally sensitive properties, the WMHO continues to protect and interpret these Long Island treasures. The organization creates interdisciplinary educational and cultural experiences that integrate history, art, theater, music, science, and technology for all ages. The organization owns and manages properties deeded to it by Ward Melville, including the Brewster House (c. 1665), the Thompson House (c. 1709), the Stony Brook Grist Mill (c.1751), which are listed on the state and national register for historic places, the Dr. Erwin Ernst Marine Conservation Center, the pristine 88-acre wetlands preserve at West Meadow, the 11-acre T. Bayles Minuse Mill Pond and adjacent park, two-acre Upper Pond, and the two-acre Jennie Melville Village Green. To learn more about the WMHO, visit www.wmho.org or call (631) 751-2244

The Three Village Artisan and Farmers Market kicked off the 2022 season with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Photo from Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich's office

In the latest hopeful sign that things are returning to normal, the community came out to celebrate the re-opening of the Three Village Artisan and Farmers Market on the grounds of the Three Village Historical Society in Setauket on Friday, June 3 with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Market manager Linda Johnson from Chocology Unlimited (with scissor) was joined by Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn, members of the Three Village Chamber of Commerce, the Three Village Historical Society and vendors in cutting the ribbon. 

The market featured an incredible roster of farmers, chefs, craft-makers and many other interesting and enticing vendors, including live music. 

In addition to providing space for vendors, the market made room for exhibits from local community organizations such as the Four Harbors Audubon Society, Town of Brookhaven Department of Recycling and Sustainable Materials Management and Cornell Cooperative Extension to round out the experience for visitors. 

“I encourage residents to stop down any Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. Three Village Historical Society at 93 North Country Road in Setauket. The market is open until October, and you’ll definitely find something to make your day more delicious,” said Councilmember Kornreich.

For more information, call 631-901-7151 or visit www.tvmobilemarket.com.

The Rustic Loft. Photo from WMHO

Are you a local business interested in learning more about ways to cut-back on energy costs? The Stony Brook Village Center will be hosting a Three Village Chamber of Commerce breakfast at the Rustic Loft sponsored by PSEG-LI at 8:15 a.m. on Wednesday, May 18 to discuss the rebates and grants available to small business, commercial, industrial, educational and municipal customers.

A panel of PSEG-LI officials will discuss rebate categories such as lighting, outdoor lighting, refrigeration, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, water heating and conservation, geothermal energy, green building, and more. Also to be discussed is the PSEG Main Street Revitalization GRANT Program, a program designed to encourage economic vitality of a business district and to optimize the use of existing electric infrastructure.

The Rustic Loft is located at 97K Main Street in Stony Brook Village Center.

You do not need to be a member of this Chamber of Commerce to attend this meeting. $20 per person, includes a full breakfast. Registration is required. To register, click.HERE or visit the Three Village Chamber at www.3vchamber.com.

Pictured from left, owner Anthony Amen, Councilwoman Jane Bonner, Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, Legislative Aide Amani Hosein, Three Village Chamber Executive Director Jane Taylor, and Three Village Chamber member Rob Taylor Photo courtesy of TVCC

Redefine Fitness celebrated the grand opening of their new facility in Stony Brook Square, 1113 North Country Road, Stony Brook with a ribbon cutting on April 28. 

Redefine Fitness celebrated its grand opening on April 28. Photo courtesy of Councilmember Kornreich’s office

The event was attended by members of the Three Village Chamber of Commerce, Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich and Councilwoman Jane Bonner, staff, friends and family who came out to wish owner Anthony Amen good luck in his latest venture. 

The new business offers a wide variety of small-group fitness programs including personal training, special needs training, post-rehab and more. It is the second location in Brookhaven Town. The first was opened in May of 2019 at 5507 Nesconset Highway in Mount Sinai. 

“I am delighted to welcome Redefine Fitness to my district. Our community is pleased to have such a beautiful amenity here in our neighborhood. I’m so glad the successful model they established in Mt. Sinai is now coming to Three Village. Congratulations on your new location and I wish you the best of luck with all of your future endeavors,” said Councilmember Kornreich.

“I am happy to welcome the second Redefine Fitness to Brookhaven Town and I wish them the best of luck. I encourage everyone to stop in, say hello and take a look at this beautiful facility. It’s a great addition to Stony Brook,” added Councilwoman Bonner. 

For more information, call 631-364-9027 or visit www.redefine-fitness.com.