Dispatches from the Frontlines: My Not So Accidental Career as a Busy Body
Over the past few months, I’ve become somewhat of a busybody, or actually, more of one given my business and busyness. (It is said if you want something done, give it to a busy person).
For this column, I’ve had the honor of tracking down stories about people, places, and happenings around town every week. My sleuthing has turned into a little adventure, taking me into the lives of neighbors I never knew, and iconic businesses I had never happened upon, despite many decades of living in Great Neck.
Nu, given my hectic schedule, occasionally winning arguments against Waze (and more often, with opposing counsel), I never imagined I’d have time for another side hustle. Yet here I am —doggedly inspired, and constantly amazed.
How “This” Started
In late 2024, the inimitable Victoria Schneps, president of Schneps Media/ longislandpress.com, approached me to take on a weekly column titled “Focus on the Great Neck Peninsula” and help add more newsworthy content about Great Neck to the local paper, now known as the Great Neck News-Record.
I accepted the call to journalism as a natural extension of my law practice. But more strategically, I also saw the new role as a way to expand the reach of Destination: Great Neck, Ltd. So thank you, Great Neck, Victoria and Publisher Steven Blank, I feel incredibly blessed to do this, it’s a very fortuitous opportunity.
What is DGN?
Destination: Great Neck is a 501 c) (3) community organization I launched in March 2021, as a response to the COVID pandemic and more specifically, the loss of the Best Market supermarket in The Gardens Shopping Center, yet to be reoccupied.
At the time, some Facebook mommy chats were filled with near-hysteria, with people demanding to know “who was in charge?” and “what can we do?” It was pretty obvious that no one was in charge of the peninsula as a whole.
So, DGN defined a clear mission: to promote the economic development, vitality and fortification of Great Neck, by connecting residents, supporting local businesses, and thereby “rebranding” our community as a vibrant destination for residents and visitors alike, once again. Given our diversity, we seek broad appeal and try to engage the rich tapestry of cultures that make up the residents of Great Neck.
Gatsby Fest; DGN Community Forum, Museum of Great Neck & More!
Some four years ago, some of us gathered together and formed a board (please join us!) We sought to foster community engagement, connect neighbors, strengthen ties and instill hometown pride. In mid-2021, we rolled out Karaoke in the Park in Great Neck Plaza, some business hops, and then the “West Egg Street Fair” in the Village of Great Neck.
In the Fall of 2021, we organized and produced our first “Gatsby Fest” on Middle Neck Road in Great Neck Estates. That same year, we were able to get the street sign at Great Neck Estates ceremonially changed to “Great Gatsby Way” at the corner of Middle Neck Road and Cedar Drive, with the assistance of Legislator Birnbaum and the Town of North Hempstead.
In 2022 and 2023 we partnered with the Village of Great Neck in conjunction with their Music and Street Festival for Gatsby Fest. In 2022, we partnered with a benevolent landlord who donated space for the “DGN Speakeasy” featuring a live jazz band and drink specials.
In 2023 and again in 2024 at The Mariner Estate, we had our DGN Community Forum. In 2024, the DGN Grand Bazaar/ Taste of Great Neck will be again at The Mariner Estate. DGN’s events were all well attended. We aimed to move the needle and add more luster to the Great Neck brand, which was reeling from the pandemic and, to be honest, a steady attrition of our iconic retailers since 2010.
We convened (twice!) with the Great Neck Village Officers Association and presented our plans for a more unified town. (Special thanks to Nassau irrepressible Legislator Mazi Pilip and other elected officials who have assisted in our efforts).
In Winter 2023, we launched our first DGN pop-up shop, thanks to another benevolent landlord in Great Neck Plaza. Due to her largesse, we had a successful stream of clientele at the DGN Market, with one of our vendors, Adam Marc Jewelers, signing a lease with that same landlord as a bona fide brick-and-mortar retailer.
Another win was the “Museum of Great Neck,” which was a very popular traveling exhibit at our various outdoor events. We were honored to be asked to be a sponsor of the Great Neck Library’s celebration of the Centennial of “The Great Gatsby” in April 2025.
We donated our DGN Museum artifacts and exhibits, which will be permanently displayed at DGN headquarters at 100 Middle Neck Road. In 2025, we are advancing our beautification initiatives for public Art Murals in town. Thankfully, we already have two landlords confirmed to donate their property (Yay!)
Get Social With Us!
On the social media front, we have enjoyed great success. We started out as a humble Facebook Group in 2021, then pivoted to our Instagram @greatneckbiz and Facebook Page. Today, we have a robust social media following, regularly do free postings for local merchants, free raffle events and do our best to share community news on our platforms.
To that end, we are actively building up our website, www.destinationgreatneck.com to be a resource for all.
Destination? Great Neck.
With our close proximity to NYC, historical landmarks, stunning waterfronts and abundance of resources, Great Neck has it all.
DGN has created a blueprint for sustainable growth and a thriving hub of culture and commerce. We like to say, “It takes a village, we have nine.”
So thankful to all who “get it” and do what they can to give back and pay it forward. It’s not (just) about putting Great Neck back on the map—it’s about making it an even better place to call home.
Janet Nina Esagoff launched Destination: Great Neck, a 501c3 community organization, in 2021 @greatneckbiz. A second-career attorney, Esagoff Law Group PC was founded in 2017. Prior to the law, Janet designed special–occasion wear for teens and girls at her Bond Street atelier, “Party Girl.”
