As our coverage of Staten Island week wraps up, we meet a woman who's been pounding the pavement on one of the borough's commercial strips for more than 30 years. NY1's Amanda Farinacci introduces us to the mayor of New Dorp Lane.

Maria Esposito knows New Dorp Lane. The longtime business owner has been schmoozing and advocating for the many businesses along the strip for more than 20 years.

"We know we will never replace people from going to the mall. But we want them to have an option to come here," Esposito said.

Esposito owns the Norman Heil Insurance company, a place she's worked at since she was 17 years old. 

Norman Heil, her former boss and mentor, used to host holiday parties for nearby businesses and offer American flags to the new ones. With that sense of community, Esposito began sprucing up her storefront and striking up conversations with her fellow merchants.

"She's just always around," said shop owner Brittney DeMarino. "She's checking on everybody, on everybody's business, trying to improve, just everything." 

Councilman Steve Matteo took notice two years ago, and suggested Esposito chair an official merchants group for New Dorp Lane. They're now on the road to forming a business improvement district, something that will continue to bring signs, holiday lights, garbage removal, greenery and event programming to New Dorp Lane. 

Improvements business owners say have made shopping here a better experience,

"This is like the 86th Street of Brooklyn. And I like it a lot better here," said shop owner Rob Cicero. 

"I get new people in every week in this store," said shop owner Marilyn Nicolella.

Esposito is a lifelong Staten Islander who spent many weekends here, on New Dorp Lane, with her family, making her an easy advocate for the area.

"New Dorp was just another extension of my family living growing up so close to here. So I have ties being here for all those years, and I think that's where ultimately, I made my roots," she said.

With that sense of family in mind, Esposito helped launch an annual restaurant crawl on New Dorp lane two years ago. Now, every April, thousands pack the area to enjoy all the food, shops and performances New Dorp Lane has to offer.