By Patrick Hedlund
DNAinfo News Editor
MANHATTAN — Retail giant Walmart may be eyeing New York City as the next market to open scaled-down versions of its nationwide megastores.
The big-box store has reportedly been looking at Manhattan — specifically rich retail stretches on Sixth Avenue in Chelsea and on Broadway in lower Manhattan, one broker said — to introduce a new brand of smaller-scale Walmart stores focused on selling fresh food and general goods.
"This is New York," said Faith Hope Consolo, chairwoman of brokerage Prudential Douglas Elliman's retail leasing and sales division.
"This area really wants to have a Walmart, and the reason being [consumers] want the same access to merchandise pricing as the rest of the U.S."
Consolo said that while Walmart is also exploring the outer boroughs for possible locations, opportunities for the highest traffic are in neighborhoods like Chelsea, lower Manhattan, and the Upper East and West Sides.
A Walmart spokesperson did not confirm any current projects in the New York City, but did say the area remains open to consideration.
"While we do not have a project to announce anywhere within the five boroughs, we know that New Yorkers want to shop and work at Walmart," company spokesman Steven Restivo said.
"With the city facing double-digit unemployment in some neighborhoods and a universal need for more affordable grocery options, we continue to evaluate potential opportunities here in an effort to be part of the solution."
Still, there are currently properties on Sixth Avenue in Chelsea in the "Ladies' Mile" shopping district, as well as on Broadway south of Canal Street, ripe for a Walmart landing, Consolo noted.
"For the New York metro area, it's going to be in your face," she said of the store's desired locations, adding they wouldn't be in far-flung areas of the borough.
Consolo thinks Walmart will seek to open a "package" of stores — about three to four — across the five boroughs, and that the first could come as early as the three to six months.
The abundance of retail locations and lower rents make this the perfect time for a Walmart bid, she added.
"There has been no market with this kind of opportunity in 10, 15 years," Consolo said.
