About the Chamber
Our Mission
We encourage robust, sustainable economic growth for our members by exchanging ideas, providing education for success, and advocating on behalf of businesses to make Franklin Square a dynamic place to live, work, and shop.
If you’ve heard of the Franklin Square Chamber before—maybe even considered joining but hesitated because you didn’t know the benefits—this is the time to rethink and be part of the change.
We continue to adapt and evolve to meet the needs of the new small business environment. Our focus on technology and innovation will help your business stand out, while our network and unity remain our biggest strengths.
Most small businesses start out at a disadvantage compared to bigger chains. Facing unique challenges alone can be a daunting task. That’s why we’re here—to support, empower, and advocate for small businesses like yours.
Benefits of Membership
Website Directory: An actively updated directory where you can showcase your business and connect with other members.
Specials and Deals: Share your promotions and exclusive offers with the community through our growthwise platform.
Interactive Meetings: Engage in meaningful discussions and collaborative activities during our meetings.
Casual Networking Events: Connect with fellow members on a personal level in relaxed networking events.
Social Media: Monthly business highlights for our members on social media. Help boost your online presence with our social media support.
Community: Increased Involvement in the community and help support local causes and initiatives.
The value you get from membership is something you can’t find anywhere else. As business owners, we spend thousands trying to market our businesses—online, by referral, in print, and by mail.
Now imagine having a community of like-minded entrepreneurs to consult with and ask those tough questions. Because if you’re going through it, someone else has already been through it.
Just think of how powerful it is to be able to ask simple yet impactful questions like:
What is working in your business?
Where do you get your best results?
What are your biggest struggles in the current market?
Franklin Square: A Brief History
Franklin Square, like many of its neighbors, had humble beginnings. Centrally located in what was once the large, grassy Hempstead Plains, the area was initially used as grazing land and later transformed into farmland following the American Revolution. The southern section of present-day Franklin Square was once forested with Munson Oak and Dogwood woods.
The origin of the name “Franklin Square,” however, remains a mystery. Some suggest it was named after founding father Benjamin Franklin, though he had no historical connection to the area. Others believe it was named after a local resident whose history has been lost to time.
In the fall of 1643, Reverend Robert Fordham and John Carman crossed Long Island Sound by rowboat to negotiate with local Indigenous peoples for land to establish a new community. According to legend, representatives of the Massapequak, Mericoke, Matinecock, and Rockaway tribes met with the men slightly west of Denton Green. They sold approximately 64,000 acres—much of the present-day towns of Hempstead and North Hempstead—for items worth less than $100 in today’s currency.
In 1790, President George Washington passed through the area during his famous tour of Long Island. He noted in his diary that the area was “entirely treeless except for a few scraggly fruit trees.” Later, in the spring of 1840, future poet Walt Whitman served as the schoolmaster of the Trimming Square school district, located at the junction of Franklin Square, Garden City South, and West Hempstead, for three months.
Franklin Square remained a quiet, farm-based hamlet until 1852 when Louis Schroerer built a hotel along the recently paved Hempstead-Jamaica Turnpike, a toll road with a gate near what is now Arden Boulevard. The hotel fostered a sense of community and attracted visitors and immigrants, particularly Germans seeking a new life away from New York City.
With the help of Arthur Roth, CEO of the Franklin National Bank, the town experienced a steady rise in population through the 1940s. By then, Franklin Square had transformed into one of the fastest-growing areas on Long Island. Its proximity to New York City and the influx of returning World War II soldiers spurred rapid development, and by 1952, the farmland had been replaced by residential homes.
Franklin Square gained national recognition through the Franklin Square National Bank, originally established in 1926. It eventually grew to become the 18th largest bank in the United States. The bank survived the Great Depression and distinguished itself by opening branches in New York City after World War II, unlike many Manhattan-based banks that expanded into Long Island. Despite its innovative approach, the bank became the largest bank failure in the United States in 1974. Its iconic green-topped building, located at the corner of James Street and Hempstead Turnpike, later became known as the EAB Building, then Citibank, and now Chase. In 2004, it was designated a historical landmark by the Town of Hempstead.
Today, the 2.9 square-mile suburb is a vibrant community with a thriving local business scene and some of Nassau County’s most acclaimed restaurants.
