Business & Tech

LI Biz News: Nassau OTB Moving, Restaurant Owes Back Wages

Business headlines from around the region.

Patch brings you news headlines from across the region. Here are some noteworthy headlines in Long Island's business community from the past seven days.  

Nassau OTB Headquarters Moving to Mineola

The administrative headquarters of Nassau Off-Track Betting (OTB) will be moving to Mineola in March 2014 after spending over four decades in Hempstead.

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The move comes after an announcement that the agency has purchased the two-story building at 139 Liberty Ave. for $1.9 million, of which $1.4 million is said to be financed according to a Newsday report.

 Xaga Sushi to Pay More Than $288,000 in Back Wages

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The U.S. Department of Labor on Monday ordered the owner of Xaga Sushi in Merrick and Hewlett to pay $261,887 in back wages and damages to 70 low-wage workers. 

The owner, Mei Yu Zhang, president of Grand Saga Restaurant Inc. and Xaga Sushi Restaurant Inc., will also pay $26,322 in civil penalties.

An investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division found that the two restaurants violated the minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act. 

From the Ashes, Advanced Auto Rises Again

Advanced Auto has recovered from a devastating fire and re-emerged at their new location in Bethpage. 

Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano joined the Moffa family in celebrating the grand opening of the new location of Advanced Auto at 590 Hicksville Road in Bethpage.

Owners Ron and Lisa Moffa suffered a major loss when the fire swept through their business in Hicksville in late 2012. The Hicksville Fire Department was joined by about 100 firefighters from six other Long Island companies to stop the inferno at 178 Old Country Road. The old location was just east of Newbridge Road. See the original story here.

Marra's Italian Restaurant Closes

Marra's Italian restaurant on School Street in Glen Cove is no more.

After a lengthy residency, the restaurant know for its simple food, casual atmosphere and affordable prices closed its doors around the start of December. 

West Hempstead Commercial Property Listed for Sale at $629K

Listed for sale in West Hempstead is a commercial property located at 248 Hempstead Tpke., which is currently occupied by Rollup Awnings, a business specializing in retractable awnings for homes and businesses.

The building also features a finished basement which is "perfect for office or warehouse", a separate entrance on the first floor and two half baths at each floor with a granite finish, according to the listing. 

The property has total square footage of 6,240 feet. Taxes are listed as $23,973 and the owners of the property are asking $629,000, the listing says. 

Sakura Returning to Babylon After Village Approval

A Babylon Village favorite is returning home a few months after being forced to close their doors – Sakura will be opening a new restaurant only feet away from their former location.

Sakura, a popular Japanese restaurant and sushi hotspot, wasclosed in early July when their lease was reportedly ended with a new building owner. Next door neighboring restaurant Nocturne was also closed for the same reason.

The new eatery will expand seating from Sakura's formerly tiny space with 56 seats between next door neighbors of Argyle Grill and Horace & Sylvia's. The restaurant will reportedly reopen in the new location sometime in early 2014.

Chamber to Honor Young Professionals

The Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for its sixth annual Young Professionals awards.

The  program will honor about 30 professionals under the age of 30 who have had an impact in their fields and contribute to their communities.  Nominations are open to professionals in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Nominees do not have to be members of the chamber.

 All nominations must be submitted by Dec. 31. Winners will be announced at the Young Professionals Committee Business Blender on March 6.

Nomination forms are available online at www.huntingtonchamber.com , or call Courtney Bynoe at 631-423-6100.

Greenport Motel Featured in Italian Magazine

The Silver Sands in the North Fork is in the spotlight again. The longtime Greenport motel was recently featured in Grazia Italy magazine ; the photo shoot  was done at the Silver Sands in October. 

P.F. Chang's Opens at Smith Haven Mall

Hungry holiday shoppers have a new dining option to choose from at Smith Haven Mall. 

P.F. Chang's opened its doors to serve up its fresh twist on Asian fare at the Lake Grove Mall on Nov. 26. The bistro-style restaurant is hoping to attract interest from the crushing waves of holiday shoppers. 

Farmingdale Chamber Hosting After Hours Networking

The Farmingdale Chamber of Commerce is hosting one of its popular "After Hours Networking and Business Card Swap" on Thursday, Dec. 19.

The event is scheduled for 5:30-7:30 p.m. at CaraCara Mexican Grill  
at 354 Main St., Farmingdale.


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