Businessman cautiously optimistic about the local economy

MILFORD — While admitting that times have been tough, “the second half of this fiscal year appears to be picking up,” Reggie Cheong-Leen said last week. Cheong Leen is the owner of Forest Hall Antiques on Harford Street in Milford and co-chairs the Milford Business Council. The council has been trying to promote local business by putting out flyers and advertising in area newspapers. “For the Fourth of July we had a lot going on in town to try and attract tourists.” “We do press releases as well as getting our 12 members to participate in full-page ads in papers in N.J. and in N.Y. state. It is effective as we find people coming in with the ads in hand,” he reported. Cheong-Leen added that Milford retailers are finding current economic times difficult. Many of the people that come to Milford spend their money on food first. Cheong-Leen, who used to be open seven days, then cut back to six days per week, is now down to four days per week. He is hopeful that President Obama will get our failing economy back on track. As owner of the entire building where his establishment is located, he did reveal that his other retail tenants are managing to pay their monthly lease rents. “Last year business began to fall off in the fall. I see it already turning around in this later part of 2009,” Cheong-Leen said. Cheong-Leen has owned his building for over 20 years and has been a Milford resident all that time. “There are always fluctuations in the economy,” he said.