State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli made a recent visit to Castle Hill, where he heard directly from small business leaders and raised awareness about his office’s work to redistribute unclaimed funds to their rightful owners.
During the Sept. 16 visit, DiNapoli stopped in local businesses along Castle Hill Ave. and returned about $20,000 to Bronx Medical Care Association.
In a time when most businesses and individuals could some extra cash, old funds from forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks, refunds and more are just waiting to be claimed— yet many don’t realize it.
In the Bronx alone, the comptroller’s office is working to return $507 million in unclaimed funds. Approximately $68 million of that pool is from the Castle Hill neighborhood.
While the average claim ranges from $50 to $100, some are far more. For instance, in 2023, DiNapoli’s office paid a record $12 million to someone who inherited an estate.
On his Bronx tour, DiNapoli started at Ponce Bank on Westchester Ave., where he met with leaders of the Castle Hill Business Improvement District (BID), Executive Director Sasha Ortiz and Chairman Anthony DeRosa.
State Sen. Nathalia Fernandez and Assembly Member Karines Reyes joined them as they visited Varsity Uniform, Barrio BX, and other storefronts along the Castle Hill Ave. business corridor.
The comptroller met with Pranav Jangan, owner of Mason Pharmacy, who said business is “okay,” buoyed by the pharmacy’s presence in that location for the past 40 years.
While on site, DiNapoli returned funds from the unclaimed pool to Jangan’s business, although the owner declined to have the amount published.
Jangan said his store will start offering COVID boosters and flu shots this winter, which will bring in more foot traffic. “We would definitely like to help more people.”
Unlike at chain pharmacies, the shelves at Mason Pharmacy were packed to the brim with first aid supplies, personal care items, medications and supplements that were not hidden under lock and key.
In an era where many pharmacies are closing — including all 178 Rite Aid stores across New York state as the company filed for bankruptcy — Jangan said personal relationships have been key to keeping his business going strong. “Everyone feels like family here.”
The group also met with Suneta Naraine, who owns Melanie’s Roti Bar and Grill with her husband Tillack and son Tushar. She spoke candidly with DiNapoli about the struggle to run a profitable business in the post-COVID era.
At her restaurant on the corner of Castle Hill Ave. and Newbold Ave., business has dropped about 50% in recent years, she said.
Naraine said she had to let go of all eight employees and rely only on her family to run the place. She has to choose which debts to pay off each month and has resorted to third-party lenders just to scrape by, she said.
High food prices are part of the challenge, but Naraine also believes smoke shops brought “a different crowd” into the neighborhood and that people are less likely to go out.
“How can you dig yourself out?” she said. “It’s hard to survive.”
DiNapoli said his office would contact her about some government loans that could potentially help.
“Sounds like you are a hustler, you work hard,” he said. “My guess is you’re gonna survive,” DiNapoli told Naraine, who responded, “I have to. One way or the other, you gotta make it work.”
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
