Chain Stores Are Taking Over New York
New York City is turning into a giant shopping mall; it’s not just your imagination. More chain stores have been opening in New York City than any time in recent memory, and there was a huge surge in the number of chain store locations in the five boroughs between 2013 and 2014. According to an annual report from Center for an Urban Future, the increase was 2.8 percent across the board and 3.4 percent in Brooklyn. That means there were 1,593 more chain stores that opened in Brooklyn this year. We’re looking at you, Williamsburg Urban Outfitters.
The highest uptick in chain store locations, per the report, was actually in Queens, which saw a 6.4 percent increase, and the lowest was in Manhattan and Staten Island with a 0.4 percent and 0.0 increase respectively.
And the chain with the largest number of locations in New York City? Nope, not Starbucks. it’s Dunkin Donuts, which has a whopping 536 outposts. (Starbucks only has 280). The runner up is Subway, which has 468 locations, followed by Duane Reade/Walgreens with 318. We’re a long way from chains having the stranglehold on New York City that they do in other places in the country, but still, it’s depressing to see the diversity of New York City’s retailers be slowly transformed into giant corporate chains.
So maybe try to do some of that last-minute holiday shopping at a mom-and-pop? Seems like they need the support now more than ever.