Every night, as my husband and I attempt to rest in our own bedroom, we're greeted not by darkness and tranquility, but by an invasive blaze of artificial light illuminating our walls. Just across the street from our apartment in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, the new Tompkins Avenue Grab and Go store has installed an excessively bright awning light, reminiscent of the bright lights of 42nd Street, Times Square. This light is left on 24/7, resulting not only in relentless sleep disturbance for us for the past two months, but also it is an unnecessary, unconscionable waste of electricity.

Our sleep, peace of mind, and patience have been severely impacted. Whenever I wake up at night, what used to take a few peaceful moments to fall back to sleep, now turns into a prolonged challenge inside a room that feels like it’s caught in perpetual daylight. This situation has persisted for weeks since the light/awning was installed. We acted swiftly, and visited the store two days after it opened. We introduced ourselves politely and express our concerns. We were assured that the issue would be rectified as soon as possible, but yet there has been no change.

This disruption bleeds into all areas of our lives. It's personally affecting my peace, my creativity, mental health and daily functioning. In a community striving to balance the vibrancy of city life with peaceful residential living, this ceaseless illumination does not belong here.

The bright light not only disrupts our personal lives but it also highly symbolizes a blatant disregard for community harmony and environmental mindfulness. Excessive lighting contributes to light pollution, which poses detrimental effects on human health and wildlife. According to the International Dark-Sky Association, light pollution disrupts ecosystems, interferes with astronomical research, and wastes billions of dollars in energy.

[Note: the indoor image pictured is from 3am today 9/15/25]

We're calling on the owner of Tompkins Avenue Grab and Go to take immediate action by dimming the lights, and turning off the awning lights at 9pm each night. The lighting on the inside of the store is sufficient to illuminate the entire sidewalk after sunset. It also much brighter than any other store on the avenue. There is absolutely no need for the store's signage to stay on 24/7.

These solutions would restore the nighttime peace and serenity, conserve energy, and demonstrate respect for both the environment and the community members whose lives are being disturbed.

Please join us in urging Tompkins Avenue Grab and Go to make these changes sooner than later. 

Please sign this petition today to bring back the balance between business operation and neighborhood living in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

Turn off the intrusive awning lights, so that we can once again experience the peace inside our sanctuary and enjoy some proper rest.

Sincerely, 

Priestess Yendys