Good morning and welcome to the grand opening of the second location of the gentleman's lab.

I'm Catherine White, Executive Director of the New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce, and we are thrilled to be here this morning.

We love nothing more than a new business except an expanding business.

So we're happy so happy to be welcoming them to not only on North Avenue, but down in the middle of this of the city, but here in Wykagill.

They're gonna be doing amazing things here.

So everyone has come out today.

It's a huge crowd to welcome this business, and I'd like to introduce a few people who are here with us today.

We have Mayor Yudiro Ramos Herbert.

We have city manager Will Melendez from the Office of Economic Development.

We have Jorge Ventura, the deputy commissioner, Kevin Jimenez, Director of Economic Development, and my partner Mariana Husafai, the director of small businesses and MWBEs for the city of New Rochelle.

We have Martha Lopez here with us today.

She is not only a New Rochelle City Council person, but she is the director of MWB East for Westchester County.

We have several chamber members who's also come out to celebrate today, including Glennya Rojas from Hotel Noma, Kevin Rucker and Danelle Culver from Casa Roma.

Kevin is also vice president of the New Rochelle downtown bid, so we're thrilled to have him here.

We have Peter Williamson from New Rochelle Neighbors and Best Version Media.

And joining us in a little bit will be Phil Sensoprano from North End Fitness, their next door neighbor.

Of course, as always, we have NRPD with us.

We always appreciate all the help they do with all of these grand openings and just keeping us safe every day.

And then of course we have the men of the hour, the business owners.

We have Hugo Velasquez.

And Chris Coste.

And now I'd like to bring up Mayor Yadiro Ramos Herbert.

I always do this because I want to look at you, but they set me up this way.

So I mean, as mayor, any new business is a great day for the city.

I think it's a testament to people willing to invest in our city.

So just out the gate, thank you.

But I think for Hugo and James, you guys have done so much for our city.

And Hugo, I feel like I've told you this before.

I remember you posted once about being at New Rochelle High School, and you posted like a senior project or junior year project that your goal was to open your own construction company.

And so in addition to the gentleman's lab, two spots, they also have a construction company, Hugo and James.

But for me, seeing one of New Rochelle High School grads like manifest a vision or see a vision for himself, bring it to life, find your business partner, of course, your gorgeous wife and your family supporting you along the way, and to bring that across the finish line time and time again.

I'm so grateful for the both of you for sticking with New Rochelle for choosing New Rochelle for investing in New Rochelle and for bringing us such quality.

I have I am a customer of yours.

My son is a customer of yours.

We are tremendous fans, so I see the touch, the personal touch, the care that you give to the people that you care for, whether through construction or through the gentleman's lab.

So I just feel flattered that you've chosen New Rochelle.

I'm grateful for the vision you had as a teenager.

I'm grateful for the partnership that you have with James.

Just thank you so much for choosing New Rochelle and whatever we can do to make sure that you continue, because I know there's more.

You got guys like you don't stop.

There's more visions, there's a 30-year plan, I'm sure.

Whatever we can do to help you bring that to fruition, let us know.

But thank you so much for choosing New Rochelle again.

Thank you, Mayor.

And now I'd like to bring up Martha Lopez to say a few words of welcome.

I am going to do what the mayor did because I really want to address you and congratulate you.

As the director for the Minority Women on Business Development Program for Westchester County, it makes me so proud that you chose New Rochelle.

Why?

Because I happen to be also a city council member in New Rochelle, and I hope that your next business can go to district number one.

However, congratulations, you make us proud, and I know that you're gonna go far beyond these.

Congratulations.

Thank you, Martha.

Now I'd like to call up the owners, Hugo, James, Eddie, and Chris, and I believe Hugo and James will say a few words.

So foremost, I want to thank everyone who came here and support.

I mean, I just look around, I see very familiar faces.

We've done a lot of work together, a lot of collaborations together.

I mean, it's been over maybe eight years where we've done many grand openings and we've never thought that we were gonna be doing one ourselves.

And so here we are you know like Mayor mentioned you know this was a vision since high school um I'm thankful for James I met him at the high school we became more than friends we became like family don't make me cry because I get a very emotional and then um any words you want to say James I just want to say thank you to Chris and thank you to Eddie because without them gentlemen's lab too would not be here today.

Thank you.

I'd like to call up Pete Williamson to just give a little presentation from the city from the Neurochell Chamber of Commerce.

So what a pleasure to be here on behalf of the New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce and all of the members of the Chamber of Commerce we'd like to congratulate and welcome uh the gentleman's lab uh here to the north end of New Rochelle uh and uh we're wishing them and expecting great success from them we're pleased to have them uh on this end of the north end three two one