PSEG Long Island Awards $25,000 Grant to Smusht – Port Washington’s Newest Ice Cream Shop

(UNIONDALE, N.Y. – July 14, 2023) PSEG Long Island recently presented Port Washington’s newest shop, Smusht, with a $25,000 Main Street Revitalization Grant. The homemade ice cream and cookie shop is located in the heart of Port Washington’s downtown business district.

“We congratulate Smusht on its grand opening and are proud to support Steve’s ice cream dreams,” said Michael Presti, director of Customer Experience and Marketing for PSEG Long Island. “We created these economic development programs to help the owners of small and medium-sized businesses save money, while also revitalizing and reviving vacant spaces and creating places for the community to enjoy. That’s a sweet win for everyone.”

For the past five years, PSEG Long Island has been providing small and medium-sized businesses with grants and bill credits to support their success. PSEG Long Island’s Main Street Revitalization grants are available for businesses that complete projects to help improve the economic stability and growth of a municipality. Since 2018, the grants have supported renovation projects for nearly 50 local businesses with more than a million dollars given out. These new businesses have also created more than 900 jobs, further enhancing the local economy.

Smusht also qualified for another PSEG Long Island small business incentive because its owner renovated a commercial space that had been vacant for more than a year. PSEG Long Island’s Vacant Space Revival program provides up to $10,000 in electric bill discounts for a new business’ first year, which is often financially difficult. Since 2018, more than $225,000 has been provided to 110 new businesses under this program.

“When I was designing the store, I always seemed to be over budget," said Steve Edelson, owner of Smusht. “The grant from PSEG Long Island allowed me to put the aesthetic finishes on the store that I wanted. The bill credits will allow me to reinvest in my business in its infancy and help it grow. I’m grateful for the support and proud to provide sweet treats to our community and put smiles on my neighbors’ faces. Everyone loves ice cream and cookies!”

“A vibrant Main Street makes for a much better neighborhood. Smusht is already a great addition to our town,” said North Hempstead Councilwoman Mariann Dalimonte. “We need to support entrepreneurs like Steve Edelson however we can, which in turn helps our local economy thrive.  I am grateful to PSEG Long Island for awarding Smusht this generous grant.”

For additional information on how PSEG Long Island helps local businesses, visit: https://www.psegliny.com/inthecommunity/revitalization.

Photo caption: Pictured (l-r) are: Christine Bryson and Alex Nyilas of PSEG Long Island; Steve Edelson, Smusht owner; Bobbie Polay, Port Washington Chamber of Commerce; Jennifer DeSena, Town of North Hempstead supervisor; Mariann Dalimonte, Town of North Hempstead councilwoman; Holly Byrne and Nadine Delmonte, Port Washington Business Improvement District; and Debbie Greco Cohen, Port Washington Chamber of Commerce.

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PSEG Long Island
PSEG Long Island operates the Long Island Power Authority’s transmission and distribution system under a long-term contract.  PSEG Long Island is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a publicly traded diversified energy company.