Be Sure to Miss the Manhattan Mall
I am always giving advice on “what not to miss” while in New York City so I thought I would give out a little advice on “what to miss” while in New York City.
A few weeks ago a co-worker wanted a recommendation for a shopping mall in Manhattan. I paused for a moment before thinking “Does Manhattan even have any shopping malls?” It is a well-known fact that New Jersey has a plethora of malls and even Elmhurst, Queens has the Queens Center. Then I remembered Manhattan Mall.
Manhattan Mall was once a gleaming gem in Midtown. With escalators snaking through ten floors of stores, it gave every city kid an insight into the world of the suburbs. Nothing was more “Americana” than working your after-school job at Gap and having lunch with friends at Hot Dog on a Stick. I went there… once. It was back in the mid-90s and while I was young and impressionable, and yet I still preferred the energy and ambiance of shopping on Fifth Avenue to the sterilized, glorified sanctuary of the mall.
Just a few weeks ago I was walking through Midtown and wondered what had become of Manhattan Mall; I decided to duck in and take a look. While I was half-expecting it to have been purchased by Donald Trump, painted gold, and fully converted to condos, the reality was much more bleak– Manhattan Mall is a skeleton of what it once was.
The mall’s stores reflect the “tween” demographic that shop at the mall: Wet Seal, Steve & Barry, Strawberry, Foot Locker, and Aeropostale are all pre-teen favorites. Even the food court, once popular with office workers, is slowly closing and only four restaurants are still operating: Charley’s Steakery, Desert Moon, Nathan’s Famous, Sarku Japan. The top floors have been leased as office space and the DMV has moved in. But all is not lost at Manhattan Mall, JC Penny is slated to open a store (making this their first Manhattan location) and the Starbucks hasn’t jumped ship… yet.
If you miss your hometown shopping malls and absolutely must have a mall experience while in New York, go to The Shops at Columbus Circle or Queens Center in Elmhurst, Queens, and leave Manhattan Mall off your list.
Location: Manhattan Mall, Sixth Avenue & 33rd Street (map) 212-465-0600
Getting There: N, Q, R, V, W to 34th Street-Herald Square; 1, 2, 3 to 34th Street-Penn Square; PATH to 33rd Street;
Hours: Sunday 11am-7pm; Monday through Friday 9am-9pm
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POSTED IN: Food & Beverage, Midtown, Shopping
2 opinions for Be Sure to Miss the Manhattan Mall
Chandra
Apr 9, 2008 at 12:31 am
Although it pains me greatly as someone who shopped in Manhattan Mall fairly frequently when I worked in the city, I have to agree with you, Heather.
Everything started going downhill as soon as Stern’s closed it’s location there and then everywhere I don’t remember how many years ago. It’s been ages.
Another alternative for visitors to New York City who must have a mall experience is the excellent ones on Long Island. Sure, you have to travel farther, but the public transportation is efficient and the effort is worth it.
Long Island’s malls were one of the best things about living in Queens on the Queens-Long Island border when I still called New York home. It’s been a while since I’ve been to several, but I always pay a visit to Roosevelt Field in Garden City when I’m in town.
And, of course, Queens Center was a staple for me, and it rocks. When I moved, massive renovations were underway that I hated not being around to see completed. I hope they all turned out as spectacular as they seemed in the earlier stages.
Heather
Apr 11, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Hi Chandra,
You are so right– Long Island has great malls and you mentioned my favorite– Roosevelt Field!
A few years ago, when I was spending weekends in Nassau County, Roosevelt Field was my main shopping destination. It was nice to be in an air conditioned mall, especially on those hot, humid New York summer days.
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