Even on the coldest day the city has faced in years, drug users were seen wandering the streets of the HUB shopping district in Melrose—some hunched over in a stupor, others lying motionless on the frozen ground.
Local shop owners, managers, and retail workers told the Bronx Times that despite an increased police presence in recent months—spurred by media coverage and criticism from local elected officials—the problem of open drug use and sales persists, driving away customers and tarnishing the area’s reputation as a shopping hub.
Abdulrahman Saad, manager of Ness, a clothing store overlooking the plaza on Third Avenue, said the situation outside his storefront is dire. On some days, he witnesses as many as five or six overdoses.
“You’ll see the same guy in two hours, back on the street, doing drugs again,” Saad said. “They [emergency services] come, revive them, and put them back on the street. That’s it.”
Just steps from the store, a man lay sprawled face-down on the icy pavement as passersby checked on him and called for an ambulance. While the Bronx Times could not confirm whether the man had used drugs, Saad said such scenes are all too common in the area, highlighting the ongoing crisis that continues to impact both residents and businesses.
“Sometimes you see them acting like zombies, standing in the middle of the street, balancing, sleeping,” he said. “If you walk [around] through the day, you’ll see it all here.”
Saad explained that the open drug use outside his store is taking a toll on business.
”They just stay outside the store all day long – all day long,” Saad said. “People get scared from them.”
Representatives from the district, including Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15) and Councilmember Rafael Salamanca Jr. (D-17), have called on the mayor, governor, and NYPD in recent months to take stronger action to clean up the streets.
Earlier this month, Torres sent a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams, criticizing what he described as double standards for quality of life in the South Bronx compared to wealthier parts of the city.
“The Governor would never tolerate an open-air drug market outside of the governor’s mansion,” Torres said in the letter. “The Mayor would never tolerate an open-air drug market outside of Gracie Mansion. Why should the people of the South Bronx be forced to see drug addicts injecting themselves with fentanyl in the presence of their children—all in broad daylight?”
Torres also suggested that the state revisit aspects of bail reform and evidence-sharing requirements, which he said allow repeat offenders, such as drug dealers, to return to the streets shortly after being arrested.
While Hochul signaled in the State of the State address that she supported measures to amend bail and discovery laws, criminal justice advocates have argued that weakening such protections could lead to civil rights violations and race-based disparities in the justice system.
For local business owners, however, the cycle of drug use and crime continues to erode their livelihoods. Bobby Chaudhray, who operates Heaven Jewelry, said sales have been steadily declining.
“2023–2024 was no good for business,” Chaudhray said. “We are losing a lot of money from our pocket.”
Retail workers in the store noted that the drug problem largely involves young people in their late teens and early 20s, often seen barely conscious or stumbling through the streets.
“I worry about the kids,” said a man working behind the counter. “This is our new generation. How are you putting this [drugs] in their hands?”
For business owners like Bobby Chaudhray, the ongoing drug crisis has been devastating. He said customers now avoid the area, and his sales haven’t been enough to cover the shop’s rent in months. To stay afloat, the jewelry store owner took out a bank loan to cover expenses.
Despite the challenges, Chaudhray remains hopeful for the future.
“This is a very nice area, a good area,” Chaudhray said. “It’s not a bad area, but they have to clean up these things.”
