Street renamed in honor of local shop owner, Blas González

More than a hundred community members gathered in early October at Fourth Avenue and 61st Street to honor Blas de Jesús González, a beloved shopkeeper and community pillar who passed away on May 27, 2024, at the age of 72.

The event included the unveiling of the Blas González Way street sign, now designated in front of El Buen Hombre Groc. Los Compadres, originally founded by González as Los Compadres Grocery in 1983.

Father Manuel “Manny” Rodríguez Delgado, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, opened the ceremony with remarks honoring González’s contributions to the community.

“Lord, You tell us in Scripture: ‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.’ Blas lived this truth every day — welcoming the stranger, feeding the hungry, and turning his small corner store into a place of warmth, kindness, and belonging,” prayed Delgado.

Born in the Dominican Republic, González followed his wife, María Espinal, to Sunset Park in 1980, where the two worked in factories for a short time before opening their store.

“At that time there were many Puerto Ricans, and later more Dominicans arrived. I didn’t speak English, and neither did my husband, so it was the most convenient thing to do,” said Espinal.

Over the next four decades, González became a cornerstone of the community.

“He knew the name of every person who walked into the store and remembered the details of their lives,” said his youngest daughter, Yessenia González. “He would ask how their children were doing or how a medical checkup or job interview had gone.”

Many who knew González said he was known for giving food to those in need, even when they couldn’t pay.

“He was one of those rare people who always gave back to the community. Some businesses make money and then leave, but he always gave back,” said neighbor George Cardona, who had known González for many years.

Councilmember Alexa Avilés, whose office led the street co-naming effort with extensive support from Gloria Espinal of United Volunteers for the Community, said the initiative received overwhelming local support.

“When we presented the proposal to the community board to name this street in honor of Blas González, they said part of the process was to research the person. The board told us they couldn’t find any information about Blas. So I said, all you need to know is that the community wants to honor this great man,” said Avilés.

More than a hundred signatures and numerous letters of support accompanied the request, describing González’s integrity, humility, and pursuit of the American dream.

Although grateful for what the United States had given him, González remained committed to visiting the Dominican Republic several times a year.

Isaura Nivar, a representative of the Dominican Consulate in New York, spoke about González’s example and what it means to see a Dominican honored in the United States.

Although González stopped managing the store full-time in 2015, handing operations over to his brother, Joselo, he continued to visit often to help and chat with regular customers.

After retiring, González spent much of his time with his wife, three daughters, grandchildren, and friends. He loved dancing, playing dominoes, and poker. His four older grandchildren fondly remembered his habit of cheating just to make them laugh. His youngest grandchild was born the day after his death.

After the ceremony, there was a celebration that included domino tables, where some of González’s longtime playing partners gathered to remember him.

Through tears, María Espinal, surrounded by her daughters, said she was “the most blessed woman” for having been married to González for so long and now didn’t know how to live without him.

For some, the street co-naming recalls the pain of González’s sudden passing, but they are grateful that a pillar of the community has been honored with a lasting tribute that will be cherished by future generations.

“From today on, this corner will always belong to the family,” said Avilés.