Ribbon Cut On New Woman-Owned Grand Ave. Business, J&M Home Appliance

NEW HAVEN, CT — Tuesday, Mayor Justin Elicker and local leaders joined business owner Evelyn Martinez for a ribbon-cutting of J&M Home Appliance at 302 Grand Ave. in the Fair Haven neighborhood.

One of only a few independently owned appliance stores in the Elm City, J&M Home Appliance sells and services a wide range of home appliances and a conveniently located in the heart of one of the city’s main commercial corridors.

Business owner Evelyn Martinez came to the United States from the Dominican Republic five years ago. She founded J&M Home Appliance in New Jersey, moved to Philadelphia two years later, and opened her second store on Grand Avenue in Fair Haven.

According to the Mayor's Office, "Grand Avenue is one of the Elm City’s most diverse, busiest, and fasting growing commercial and residential thoroughfares with over 130 active businesses..."

And Elicker noted that Grand Avenue is the "focus of an upcoming $7.5 million investment of city, state and federal funds towards the “'Grander Grand Avenue' initiative along with several new affordable housing developments."

"The Grander Grand Avenue initiative includes new roadway and infrastructure improvements, streetscape and beautification enhancements, a public plaza for community gatherings and events, marketing and business development, and other placemaking efforts to support the continued growth of this key corridor and the Fair Haven neighborhood," per the City.