‘Fighting for The Bronx': BID teams up with martial arts studio to uplift small businesses
Under new leadership, the BID is expanding its mission beyond keeping streets clean. Now, it’s helping long-standing neighborhood staples like Full Element Martial Arts continue to thrive.
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The White Plains Road Business Improvement District is back — and taking new steps to support small businesses across The Bronx.
Under new leadership, the BID is expanding its mission beyond keeping streets clean. Now, it’s helping long-standing neighborhood staples like Full Element Martial Arts continue to thrive.
Master Mike Simmons has run the East Bronx dojang for more than two decades, teaching structure, discipline and confidence to students as young as 3 years old. He says the BID’s director, Malcolm Gray, has been instrumental in helping the studio connect with neighbors through events like its annual haunted house fundraiser for St. Jude’s Hospital.
“We gotta bring people together, to let them know that we are here for them,” Simmons said. “I’m grateful to Malcolm because he’s allowed a lot of people that couldn’t come to the event, come for free.”
Gray says his goal is to help long-standing businesses like Full Element continue serving their communities for generations to come.
“They are one of the longest-standing businesses in this BID,” Gray said. “Our goal is to get them to survive another 25 more.”
