Help Ridgewood Antiques Keep Open

Ridgewood Antiques has been at the corner of Fresh Pond Road and Woodbine Street for over 5 years now. Margaret runs the shop with the warmth and attention of an old friend, giving the best service and stocking up the coolest antiques for her customers, who come from all 5 boroughs to hunt for vintage treasures hidden in the nooks and crannies of this beautiful store.

Which is why it was such a shock when NYS seized the entire property for taxes owed.

Margaret was looking for a payment plan from NYS to help settle overdue taxes; instead, they locked everything up and shuttered her storefront, causing intensified financial hardship on a business that was already struggling to stay afloat. Ridgewood Antiques is the main source of income for her family.

Margaret didn't take out any PPE loans. She paid her rent in full throughout the COVID lockdown. She is an upstanding citizen of Ridgewood who helps the community every day. Without a storefront for income, she won't be able make rent, feed her family or start paying back the taxes owed. The treatment of Ridgewood Antiques by NYS is unfair; the stark orange sign on the storefront paint a negative picture of one of Ridgewood's sweetest residents and the situation locks her into the impossible dilemma of owing money but not being able to make the income to pay it back.

Please consider donating to help Margaret's family survive while Margaret and her accountant try to reach out to NYS to set up that payment plan. Trying to get in contact with NYS in a timely manner is hard; and money is trickling through the hourglass the longer Margaret is forced to wait to hear back about the status of her business.

Money from this gofundme will go to feeding Margaret's family, paying rent, paying monthly bills and extending her family's financial security until she can reopen.

If you'd like to know more about Ridgewood Antiques, check out this video made about Margaret and her store!