Courts opens its first store in New York

On Thursday, October 30, Courts officially opened the doors of its first North American store for business in the Caribbean immigrant-populated borough of Brooklyn, New York, at 2822 Church Avenue, between Nostrand and Rogers Avenues. This brings to 94 the total number of stores in the Courts family.{{more}}

The opening, which included a two-part VIP launch event, began at the New York Marriott Hotel at the Brooklyn Bridge before guests were shuttled to the Brooklyn location for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and an official tour of the facility.

Speaking at the launch, New York State Senator Kevin Parker said: “Given the economic downturn in the U.S. economy, Courts’ decision to open in Brooklyn is truly welcomed. Courts presence in New York is really a sign of vitality in the community of Brooklyn and the Caribbean.” Mr. Parker also presented a proclamation to Unicomer CEO, Mario Siman, and Country Manager of Courts USA, Felix Siman III.

Assemblyman Nick Perry called the debut “a good day for East Flatbush and the Caribbean Community in Brooklyn,” while Councilman, Dr. Kendall Stewart, a native of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, insisted: “This is something we have been looking for, for a long time.”

Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs Guillermo Linares, who represented the Office of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, welcomed the store stating that it is so wonderful to see that we have an enterprise that emerged in the Caribbean, and over the years it has seen phenomenal growth and has now decided to follow the Caribbean family to Brooklyn.

Courts Caribbean and Unicomer employees, including top regional directors and managers from Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, then joined in the ribbon-cutting to declare the store officially open. Guests for the evening were thrilled by the Something Positive Dance Group and the Caribbean sounds of CASYM steel pan orchestra.

This new store will provide Caribbean immigrants in the Diaspora with an opportunity to place their orders at the Brooklyn location for delivery to their homelands. Those orders will be delivered to recipients from the most convenient Courts store in the region. Customers in New York may also purchase products from the store for their own use.

The Courts opening comes on the heels of its summer debut at the largest carnival in North America, the West Indian Labor Day Parade, and at Irie Jamboree, in Queens, NY.