FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
RYE MERCHANTS STAR IN NEW DOCUMENTARY

Rye, NY-- How does a business survive in Rye, for 10, 20 or even 50 years? A new film by Michael Dwyer attempts to answer this question. RISING TIDE chronicles the history of small businesses in Rye as seen through the eyes of numerous shop owners. Some of the merchants featured include, Konrad Brzezinski, Joe Lamberti (Rye Brook Service Station), Peggy D'onofrio (Rye Smoke Shop), and Christine Vita (Longford's Ice Cream).

How does a business survive? The answer is complex, but it involves a lot of struggle, hard work, long hours, perseverance, and civically minded landlords. Rising taxes, the cost of real estate, and the influx of chains, such as the Gap, Starbucks, Victoria's Secret and half a dozen banks are not only obstacles for the small business but they are what rob the community of personal interaction between merchant and customer, in other words, the town's charm.

RISING TIDE recounts a local history through the voices of multiple generations while offering a captivating view into the unique workings of each person's craft or business.   The film chronicles the lives, the struggles, and the behind-the-counter activities of people who are involved in trades that are increasingly marginalized by the high cost of living, the arrival of large franchises in the community, and technological advances.

The filmmakers Michael Dwyer, originally from Harrison and Robert Todd, a Rye native, were inspired by one merchant in particular, Konrad Brzezinski, an 83-year-old Polish émigré and master watchmaker who has had a shop on Purchase Street for the last 55 years. Their short film, WATCH, (2003) focuses on the daily activities of the stoic Konrad and his animated wife Ursula. Konrad repairs and reconstructs clocks and watches made as far back as 1700, while helping customers learn to maintain and repair their own aging devices for a modest fee.