c/o @landmarkwest
Here’s a bit of good news for Upper West Siders, especially those who frequent a particular newsstand vendor near the corner of 79th and Broadway. Through the help of his customers, Sadik Topia will soon have a license allowing him to reopen his 23-year-old newsstand business.
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“They’re killing me for nothing,” Sami, 60, told West Side Spirit earlier this year. A native of Gujarat, India, Sami has raised a family in the Bronx while operating the newsstand. “I worked very hard to make my life.”
Led by City Council Member Gale Brewer, residents of the UWS rallied to Sami’s defense. West Side Spirit reports he received pro bono legal counsel from Andrea Tan, Director of the Microenterprise Project at Volunteers for Legal Services, as well as Dara L. Sheinfeld, who works for one of NYC’s larger law firms in Davis, Polk and Wardwell.
“The love for this guy is hard to describe,” Brewer told West Side Spirit. “It’s a big city and to have somebody that friendly in the morning. He is beloved.”
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As Sami’s customers supported him through the legal situation, it became apparent that the license owner from whom Sami had sublet had actually passed away. This gave Sami an opportunity to apply for the license himself, which the city confirmed has been granted, according to West Side Spirit. The city also ruled that Sami does not have to pay the fines he was previously assessed.
“I would like to thank the wonderful community and my loyal customers who have helped me in this process,” Sami said to West Side Spirit.
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I am so happy to hear this! Every time I pass Sami’s newsstand and see it all locked up, it makes me very sad, and frustrated with this onerous process and bad deal he was dealt. He is one of the nicest, kindest people I know. I can’t wait to see him back there again.
Judy Samuels
Sammy also attracts alot of boosters and homeless drunkards by purchasing hot merchandise and selling loose cigarettes. Not a good fixture on the uws.
Yeah! Down with Capitalism! Oh wait….
I am thrilled to hear this news. He is such a good person and loved by everyone who ever bought a paper or pack of gum from his stand. Can’t wait to see him back in business. The fines that were imposed on him were beyond unfair. I fail to understand why the city would so deliberately try to destroy someone like they did.
I like Sami, and have known him for ages. The question is will his license include regulations preventing him from doing some of the things he used to do to, some of which helped the homeless, like keeping a large box of used books that they could take to sell. As for selling loose cigarettes, that is a practice that may be against regulations, but is mutually beneficial (Sami makes a little more money, people who cannot afford entire packs of cigarettes get a smoke).
In any event, I am really happy that Sami will be back. Among other things, he is almost the only newsstand on the UWS that actually carries the entire Sunday New York Times.
Welcome back!