A new column dedicated to Great Neck

Many of you may know that Schneps Media is now the publisher of Great Neck News Record, having acquired Blank Slate Media and Anton Media. We aim to be a go-to community resource in all the areas we cover. Great Neck is no exception. As many can agree, it is exceptional.

To that end, we are committed to better connecting Great Neck’s people—it’s fine residents, merchants and visitors, as never before. In these challenging times— post-pandemic, an incoming presidential administration and global strife It is our hope that our deep coverage of Great Neck and the fostering of collaborations with community stakeholders, will be pivotal for all.

Stay tuned every week for an “insider’s view” about Great Neck, by guest columnists providing regular updates from elected officials, spotlights on  dedicated volunteers and focus on businesses and merchants who help Great Neck thrive. Great Neck’s main features and amenities, briefly referenced below, will be the subject of future columns, as we celebrate what makes this historic town so distinguishable from those around.

First, a recap of “Great Neck,” which at times,  seems less like a  NYC suburb, and more like a city.

Technically, Great Neck is a peninsula on the North Shore of Long Island, NY, comprised of nine incorporated villages and other unincorporated areas, situated in the Town of North Hempstead. The villages include Village of Kings Point, Village of Great Neck, Village of Saddle Rock, Village of Thomaston, Village of Russell Gardens, Village of Kensington, Village of Great Neck Plaza and Village of Lake Success

Great Neck is the place where many luminaries visited during the Roaring Twenties. The Playhouse Theatre, across from the old Squire Theater was an off-Broadway stage. It is here where F. Scott Fitzgerald penned “The Great Gatsby”, a novel about “West Egg” Kings Point- Great Neck, NY in relation to East Egg   —Sands Point,  across the Manhasset Bay.

Incidentally, the centennial of that famous tome is coming up, in 2025!  Great Neck has a long tradition in the realm of arts and entertainment, particularly during the Jazz Age. Many famous entertainers called this town home, including actors Groucho Marx, Sid Ceasar, director Francis Ford Coppola, famed comedian Andy Kaufman , Bar Rescue’s Jon Taffer, Olympian Sarah Hughes and most recently—SNL’s Sarah Sherman—just to name just a few!

Great Neck, today, is widely renowned for its stellar public school districts—Great Neck North, and Great Neck South —which consistently garner top national recognition. We are also well known for our fine homes and estates, our bucolic and prolific parks superbly maintained by the Great Neck Park District. Great Neck is also known for its beautiful waterfronts, stunning bridge and water views, albeit private, as they are not open to the general public.

Great Neck is home to the US Merchant Marine Academy, at the site of the Chrysler estate as well as three dedicated volunteer fire companies (Vigilant, Alert, Manhasset- Lakeville)which have provided dedicated emergency services for over a century.

Great Neck residents enjoy a quick commute by car or rail to NYC, with the Queens County border just steps away.

Great Neck, today, is also known for its people. It is often true that “Demographics are Destiny” and well, the locals know it. Over the last three decades, there has been a steady influx of immigrants from Iran, China, the former Soviet Republic, and Israel. They joined immigrants and later generations with roots from all over Europe, among other religious groups and ethnicities. In all, Great Neck is a diverse,  vibrant and at times,  tribal community.

To be sure, the slow trickle of change in our resident population has brought about changes of the more lasting kind. Great Neck was once lauded for its retail stores and as a shopping Mecca for visitors to shop and dine. Iconic eateries like Bruce’s Bakery and Millie’s Place brought crowds, along with stores like Camp n Campus, Lonnie’s, Posturline. Once, Walking through town  was a huge pastime, as people of all ages would leisurely stroll the blocks of our downtown, Great Neck Plaza. Fast forward to the emergence of Amazon, online shopping, megastores like Costco and a huge shift in post- pandemic buying habits.

These trends adversely impacted the eclectic businesses and boutiques that dotted Middle Neck Road and its tertiary streets in the main economic corridors—which back in the day, made had Great Neck famous.

Great Neck’s elected representatives, along with leadership at the Town of North Hempstead, Nassau County and New York State levels are aware of the challenges that many downtown areas, including those on the Great Neck peninsula face. Hopefully , as we all work together, we can ensure Great Neck’s best days ahead for future generations.