NEW YORK CITY—In the seventh edition of its annual “State of the Chains” study—ranking the national retailers with the most store locations in New York City—the Center for an Urban Future finds a sharp rise in the migration of chain stores into the Big Apple.
The study shows that there was a 3.3% increase in the number of chain stores in the five boroughs over the past year, a much larger spike than the 0.5% gain in chain stores between 2012 and 2013 and the largest annual increase since the 4.1% increase from 2009 to 2010.
Queens had the largest year-over-year increase in chains stores among all boroughs, and Dunkin Donuts remained the largest retailer in the city, with 536 stores.
The Center's analysis shows that the 309 retailers that were listed on last year's ranking expanded their footprint in New York City from a total of 7,303 stores in 2013 to 7,541 stores in 2014, a 3.3% increase. This marks the sixth consecutive year there has been a net increase in the number of national chain stores in the five boroughs.
For the seventh consecutive year, Dunkin Donuts tops our list as the largest national retailer in New York City, with a total of 536 stores. Over the past year, Dunkin Donuts had a net increase of 21 stores in the city, a 4% gain. Subway is still the second largest national retailer in the city; gaining one additional store over last year's total to make 468 locations across the five boroughs.
Rounding out the top ten national retailers in New York are: Duane Reade/Walgreens (with 318 stores), metroPCS (298), Starbucks (282), McDonalds (245), Baskin Robbins (211), Rite Aid (201), T-Mobile (185) and GNC (156). In all, there are now 16 retailers with more than 100 stores across the city.
Of all the boroughs, Queens experienced the largest year-over-year %age increase in the number of chain stores. Between 2013 and 2014, the number of national retail locations in Queens increased by 8.3%, going from 1,663 stores last year to 1,801 stores this year. The Bronx saw the second highest %age increase in the number of national retailers—an increase of 4.2 % (from 877 stores in 2013 to 914 stores in 2014), followed by Brooklyn (+3.4 %—from 1,540 stores to 1,593) and Manhattan (+0.4 %–from 2,798 stores to 2,808). The number of national retailer locations on Staten Island was unchanged since last year, at 425.
Roughly a third of the 300 national retailers on this year's list increased their footprint in the city by at least one store over the past year, compared to just 29% last year. Meanwhile, 27 % of the retailers reduced their presence in the city since last year. A few national retailers, including Coldwater Creek, Submarina CA Subs, Gloria Jean's Coffees, Juicy Couture and Goodburger, closed all of their New York City locations since last year. The remaining 40% of retailers did not have a net change in the number of locations in the city.
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Rayna Katz
Rayna Katz is a seasoned business journalist whose extensive experience includes coverage of the lodging sector, travel and the culinary space. She was most recently content director for a business-to-business publisher, overseeing four publications. While at Meeting News, a travel trade publication, she received a Best Reporting award for a story on meeting cancellations in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.
