Sisters Inna and Anyuta Zelikson are the owners of Inaya Jewelry in Grand Central Terminal.  

They have had their Grand Central location since 2009 where they sold jewelry to the thousands of commuters passing by. It looks much different now.

"You did not walk this easily through," said Inna Zelikson, as she walked through the empty Lexington Passage.

They reminisce about the rush hour commute pre-pandemic.

"You couldn't step outside the store because of how many people pass by," said Anyuta Zelikson. "With the rush hour you need to be aware where you are."

It's been a brutal year for business with Grand Central empty.

"The winter was very very tough," Anyuta Zelikson said.

They started their jewelry business after 9/11 and are refugees from Belarus and they are still determined to make it through the pandemic. NY1 last spoke to them in December.
 
"Because we are immigrants and because we are refugees you know this is not the first adversity for us," said Anyuta Zelikson.  

To help offset the decline in foot traffic, the MTA gave tenants here a deal on their rent.

The MTA calls it a viable path to recovery for small businesses at Grand Central Terminal and around our transportation network.

"It is a good deal. Think about it to pay only 20% of your rent. However for it to be a fantastic deal people would have to come in and shop more," Inna Zelikson said.

The Zelikson sisters said business has been down 90% in the pandemic and they say the success of their business depends on when Grand Central Terminal fills up with commuters again.

"Our issue is not with the MTA we feel that they have given us a fair deal and we think they have done what they could for us the biggest thing for us at this point that we received from the agency is for people to bring companies to bring people back in the office a couple of times a week," said Inna Zelikson.

The sisters are confident New York City will recover.

"It's resilient and beautiful and it will definitely come back better than ever," said Inna Zelikson.