NJ Immigrants Own 47 Percent Of ‘Main Street’ Businesses: Study

If you like mom-and-pop stores – and want to see more of them in your hometown – then you should make sure immigrants feel welcome on Main Street, a recent study says.

On Monday, nonprofit New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) released a report, “Immigrant Small Business Ownership is a Cornerstone of New Jersey’s Economy,” which attempts to measure the role that immigrants play in the Garden State’s 565 municipalities.

Their conclusion? New Jersey immigrants own a higher share of “Main Street” businesses than in any other state except California.

In fact, immigrants – both documented and undocumented – now account for 47 percent of the Garden State’s Main Street business owners, despite making up just 22 percent of the total population, NJPP researchers stated.

In total, New Jersey’s immigrant-owned businesses earn $4.4 billion dollars per year, and are a critical part of the state’s economy, according to the NJPP.

“Small businesses, specifically those on Main Street, help neighborhoods stay economically active and, in some cases, revitalize cities experiencing population decline,” the group wrote. “Small businesses also help increase the local tax base and stimulate consumer spending in local economies.”

According to the NJPP, the state’s immigrant population has doubled since 1990, and the numbers of foreign-born residents contributing to the workplace have grown along with it. In 2016, for example, immigrants made up 28 percent of the labor force, up from 15 percent in 1990.

“Mounting evidence suggests that immigrants are more likely to start and own small businesses because they face discrimination in the job market due to limited English proficiency and, sometimes, their citizenship status,” researchers said. “In addition, immigrants who earned advanced degrees in their home country have trouble continuing their careers in the U.S. as foreign qualifications and academic achievements may not be recognized.”

See the full study here.

RESTAURANTS, SPAS AND GYMS: STORIES OF SUCCESS

Abril Hernandez, owner of Ay Chihuahua! came to the U.S. with her husband more than two decades ago. Recently, they opened their first restaurant in Passaic.

"We provide good jobs to our workers," Hernandez said.

"Too often immigrants are shamed as stealing jobs," Hernandez added. "We are actually creating jobs across the Garden State. New Jersey should recognize our contributions by making it easier for immigrants to participate in our economy and support our families."

Looking for some examples of New Jersey immigrant business owners contributing to the local economy?

INSPIRING RESTAURANTEUR - When East Orange resident Roger Miller emigrated to the U.S. at the age of 17 from Guyana, he dreamed of becoming a chef one day. Little did the father and husband know that he'd end up putting his culinary skills to the test for multi-Grammy Award winning singer Lauryn Hill. (Read the full story here)

SUCESSFUL SPA OWNER - Ying Li, the owner of Soothing Zen Day Spa in Millburn, was born in Nanchang, southern China, near Shanghai. She moved to NYC in 2012 after studying Chinese History at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada. Li now employs five New Jersey-licensed aestheticians at her Millburn shop and has a business clientele that includes "75 percent business people and attorneys." (Read the full story here)

A FAMILY BUSINESS - Brothers Carlo and Raoul Momo and their mother, Teresa, opened the very first "Teresa", an Italian specialty food store in the mid-1970's. Today, their Terra Momo Restaurant Group owns and operates three restaurants: Teresa Caffe and Mediterra in Princeton, and Eno Terra in Kingston. It also operates a small cafe in the Princeton Public Library and a bakery, the Terra Momo Bread Company. (Read the full story here)

OWNER TRANSFORMS GYM - Jack Li, owner of the Windsor Athletic Club (WAC) in West Windsor, earned a 2018 Albert Einstein Award for Innovation. Under Li’s guidance, the WAC has transformed from a gym facility to a true community center employing 98 people. The WAC is also a hub for the local community, serving as the venue for a wide array of events, including local commercial events, political campaign events, an Asian art show and a college job fair. (Read the full article here)

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