We all know that local small businesses add immeasurably to our lives, and that Jane Jacob’s adage about “eyes on the street” making communities safer is a truism never to be forgotten. But nothing proved both so dramatically as the men who work at East Village small businesses near St. Mark’s Place who spotted and bravely helped police identify and apprehend the suspect in the April 13 Brooklyn subway terror attack right here in our neighborhoods.

Keeping our streets alive with people invested in their community is a guiding principle behind what we do every day. So is supporting local small businesses, that are disproportionately operated and staffed by immigrants. We owe these heroes, and everyone who keeps our communities vibrant, active, and safe, a great debt of gratitude for all they do every day.