Good afternoon.

I'm Catherine White, Executive Director of the New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce, and we are thrilled to be here in downtown New Rochelle on LeCout Place to welcome a brand new business to New Rochelle, Afogato House.

We love all new businesses, but we especially love to see a street come alive.

This year we've had so many grand openings on this street and within just a two or three block radius.

So it's thrilling to see the growth of Neurochelle.

And we have so many people who are here in the audience and here with us today to welcome them.

So let me give a shout out to a couple of names I just wanted to mention.

Of course, we have Mid Mayor Yudira Ramos Herbert.

We have New York State Assemblyman Steve Otis.

Westchester County Legislator Terry Clements.

From Capelli organization, the very group that built the building.

We have Mitch Bodner.

Woo!

Of course, the Department of Economic Development is here because that's how everything gets done when it comes to buildings and openings.

So we have Deputy Commissioner Jorge Ventura.

Director of Planning, Kevin Kane.

Director of Economic Development, Kevin Jimenez.

And Key, my partner and colleague, the small business relations manager for the city of New Rochelle, Mariana Husafai.

NRPD is here with us in the house because they come to all of our brand openings.

Everyone loves to see them, and it's a great opportunity for our business owners to just have a facial connection to our NRPD who just supports the whole city.

And we've got several Neurochelle Chamber of Commerce members.

I hope I've seen you all now in the in the crowd.

We have Hasieb from Cafe Haven.

Glenny Arojas from Hotel Noma.

The

group from First Source Referral Center.

We have Henry and Brian from Pickle Rage directly across the street.

So you can get some coffee and then you can go work out, or vice versa.

We have DJ Johnson from the Young Coaches Program.

And

of course, Key Bank right down the block for all your finance needs.

We have Nadine Dixon and Viviana Faron.

And now I think I've got all the shout-outs, but of course, the most key, the stars of the show, the gentleman of the hour.

We have Ryan Morehouse.

And

Chef Salam.

Chef Salam, right there.

We all wouldn't be here without them and their vision.

So first I'd like to call up the mayor to say a few words of

welcome.

Well,

thank God it's Friday, but thank God it's Friday at a ribbon cutting in the downtown of New Rochelle.

If you want to ask a mayor what makes it a good day, it is something like this.

But talking to the owners and talking about we have a Jefferson Columbus connection.

We know how we love.

I can't imagine what you would have been like as a kid thinking about opening a business in the community where you went to elementary school.

What would little you have said about the vision and the fortitude and the ability to bring this and seeing all of your amazing faces, seeing the other small businesses come out to support our newest business on the block.

This is what makes New Rochelle so strong.

And I'm looking at our 11-week old, we have one of our newest residents, Tobias, right here in the baby carrier.

Like, look at what a small business in New Rochelle can bring together, right?

What was empty now is a community space where we're making memories and joy.

They're gonna be one of our coffee with the mayor host in 2027.

Um, I'm just thankful for you.

Thank you for choosing New Rochelle, thank you for picking our downtown.

I know it takes a lot of effort and energy, and you gotta stick with the dream.

You gotta stick with the vision as you get through the paperwork, but you've done it.

And whatever we right, right?

That felt you felt that one.

Um whatever we can do to help you be

successful, we will do.