🧾 Save International News and Magazine Upper East Side small business— Save a Piece of Our Community

Urgent Petition to Support Zafar Ahmed and Prevent Forced Closure of a 25-Year-Old Small Business Due to License Transfer Ban

We are reaching out to you with urgency and sincere hope.

We, the community members of the East 86th Street neighborhood, write to you in support of Mr. Zafar Ahmed, a dedicated small business owner who has served this neighborhood for over 25 years from his shop at 302 E. 86th Street New York, NY 10028. Mr. Ahmed is now facing forced closure due to a policy that prohibits the transfer of his licenses to new nearby locations, even in cases of lease expiration and new development.

This policy unfairly threatens the livelihood of a man who has followed every rule, paid every tax, and earned the respect and trust of his neighbors. Mr. Ahmed’s store—where he sells newspapers, magazines, essentials, and has always welcomed people of all backgrounds—has become a staple of our neighborhood and an irreplaceable hub for many. 

Recently, the property housing Mr. Ahmed’s business was sold by his landlord, Bremen House, to new developers. Unfortunately, the new owners have declined to renew his lease, forcing Mr. Ahmed to vacate the premises and close his store by the end of June 2025. This isn’t just a bureaucratic hiccup—it’s a life-altering loss for Zafar Ahmed, his family, and the thousands who rely on him

Small business owners are being pushed out with little regard for their contributions, destabilizing the community fabric and threatening its future.

Background Story: Zafar Ahmed’s 25-Year Legacy

For many years, Mr. Ahmed has opened his doors through rain, snow, during Covid, second avenue Subway construction, and economic downturns. He never gave up on his neighborhood—and now, he is asking his neighborhood not to give up on him.

His shop is more than a store. It is:

• A newsstand that helps residents stay informed with local and international publications.
• A community bulletin board, where locals find out what’s happening in their area.
• A safe and familiar space for the elderly, immigrants, and those who feel unseen.
• A trusted stop for working-class residents before heading to work or school.

Zafar Ahmed is a 68-year-old small business owner at International News and Magazines, a longstanding neighborhood establishment located at 302 E 86th Street, New York, NY 10028. For over two decades, Mr. Ahmed has proudly served the Upper East Side community, offering a unique mix of international publications, newspapers, magazines, soda, candy, cigarettes, and vape products.

His store has become a trusted resource for the local community—particularly senior citizens—many of whom rely on it for their daily essentials, including local and international news sources. It is currently the only remaining store in the neighborhood that offers this specific combination of goods and services.

Recently, the property housing Mr. Ahmed’s business was sold by his landlord, Bremen House, to new developers. Unfortunately, the new owners have declined to renew his lease, forcing Mr. Ahmed to vacate the premises and close his store by the end of June 2025.

The announcement of the store’s closure has caused great concern among his loyal customer base, especially the elderly members of the community who have long depended on the shop. For Mr. Ahmed and his family, this store is not merely a business—it is their sole livelihood, built on decades of dedication, consistency, and hard work.

Mr. Ahmed is actively seeking to relocate his business within the same neighborhood—ideally within a four-to-five-block radius of the current address. However, under current New York City regulations, new licenses for the sale of cigarettes and vape products are no longer being issued, nor are existing licenses transferable to a new location. This places his entire business model—and years of community service—at risk.

Mr. Ahmed is respectfully requesting urgent assistance from the appropriate city offices to help secure a license transfer or issue a new one as an exception that would allow him to continue operating his business at a new location. This support is critical not only for the preservation of his livelihood but also for the benefit of a community that depends on his services.

Any assistance that can be provided to help Mr. Ahmed continue his work would be deeply appreciated. His store has been a fixture of the Upper East Side for more than twenty years, and preserving it would serve both economic and community interests.

Why This Matters: Local Press & Community Stores Are Essential

In an age of disappearing newsstands and declining access to community print media, shops like Mr. Ahmed’s provide essential services:

• Access to printed news: Not everyone is digitally connected. Older residents rely on printed newspapers and magazines.
• Neighborhood economy: Local businesses create jobs, offer community discounts, and keep money circulating locally.
• Community identity: Long-standing stores form part of a neighborhood’s soul, offering continuity in a fast-changing city.
• Seniors grab their morning papers and essentials.
• Immigrants find comfort in familiar faces and international headlines
• Workers stop by before catching the train
• Locals gather to stay informed and feel connected.

Losing Zafar Ahmed’s store doesn’t just affect him—it harms the whole fabric of our community.

Call to Action: Policy Reform Request

We respectfully urge you to sponsor or support legislation or administrative reform that allows:

• Transfer of existing Cigarette Tobacco and Vape licenses within the same neighborhood when a business owner is forced to relocate due to an expiring lease, new development, building sale, or rent increase. 

This is not about expanding tobacco sales. This is about protecting long-standing small businesses from being unfairly driven out of existence due to inflexible regulations.

We recommend:

• Creating a “grandfather clause” or waiver for small business owners who have served their neighborhoods for 10+ years, allowing them to transfer their license or issue new one.
• NYC tobacco license reform Allowing license transfer to save community stores NYC businesses with 10+ years at the same location within a certain radius (e.g., 5 blocks) for small business survival or receive a new one.
• Establishing a review board to ensure that exceptional cases—like Mr. Ahmed’s—are not overlooked by outdated rules.

Let’s Keep the Heart of the Upper East Side Beating
Mr. Ahmed isn’t just a shopkeeper—he’s family to this community. His story is the story of countless small business owners being squeezed out of the very neighborhoods they helped build.

🖊️ Please sign and share this petition to make sure our elected officials know we stand with Zafar Ahmed—and with every small business fighting to survive.

Let’s protect our community’s past, present, and future.

Let’s save the cornerstones that make NYC feel like home.