#Land rank venture towns license

In 2019, Dussan was named Entrepreneur of the Year by New York StateвЂ™s Entrepreneur Assistance Centers for her role in leading the MWBE restoration and environmental response firm. In 2012, Dussan and Torres started Green Island Group out of their garage. Dussan, who was born in Queens and spent five years in Columbia as a child, began her career mopping floors in downtown Manhattan during the cleanup following the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. The marketвЂ™s meat department is a favorite of Torres, who grew up around his parentsвЂ™ small meat market in his native Guayaquil, Ecuador. In addition, Fair TradeвЂ™s new owners will soon introduce a new bakery department with baking on the premises and create a вЂњclassic butcher shopвЂќ which will cure its own meat and offer dry-aged steaks. вЂњWeвЂ™re also planning to create a juice bar with sophisticated equipment.вЂќ вЂњWe opened a sushi section with a sushi chef on the premises,вЂќ Dussan said. Improvements at Fair Trade include a renovated produce area, repairs and upgrades to its refrigeration and HVAC systems, new plantings out front, and a new fresh seafood department. вЂњThe produce wasnвЂ™t fresh, there were many expired items, and the prices were out of line. The couple has already invested about $1 million in purchasing and renovating the place. So far, becoming successful grocers has taken a lot of green.

вЂњSo, we thought since the licenses were going to take a while, why not have a business that will bring in some income in the meantime.вЂќДЇAIR TRADE MARKET: With new owners at the helm, the 24,000-square-foot grocery store is freshening up. вЂњI was looking at locations for that, and then we found this,вЂќ Torres says.

#Land rank venture towns license

The couple could be called вЂњaccidental grocers,вЂќ as they were researching locations for another business when they learned that the Islip Terrace market was being offered for sale.Дussan and Torres, who will soon be applying for a retail license in New YorkвЂ™s budding cannabis industry, had been looking for properties in the towns of Babylon and Brookhaven to locate their planned dispensary, when they stumbled on the grocery store listing. Removing hazards like asbestos and mold, as well as performing lead abatement, have been Green IslandвЂ™s focus, as it specializes in restoration and emergency response.Д«ut in recent weeks, the entrepreneurial couple has been working hard to restore a flagging neighborhood grocery store, which has become their latest business venture.Дussan and Torres are the new owners of Fair Trade Market, a 24,000-square-foot food market on Connetquot Avenue in Islip Terrace. The husband-and-wife team, who have owned and operated the Bohemia-based environmental restoration firm Green Island Group for the past decade, have restored a wide variety of damaged commercial and residential properties. Jessica Dussan and Leo Torres have gotten used to cleaning up after disasters.