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You Told Us: Is Lowe's Opening Good or 'Gross'?

By Emily Frost | August 6, 2015 8:25am | Updated on August 7, 2015 6:34pm
 Not everyone is thrilled a Lowe's is opening in the neighborhood.
Not everyone is thrilled a Lowe's is opening in the neighborhood.
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DNAinfo/Emily Frost

You Told Us is a regular feature where we highlight comments from users in the communities DNAinfo covers.

UPPER WEST SIDE — While some locals are calling the arrival of hardware giant Lowe's "gross," others are welcoming news of the chain store's planned opening next week.

Lowe's will debut its 30,000-square-foot location at Broadway and West 68th Street, its first in Manhattan, a spokeswoman said. The hardware and home improvement brand is also opening a store in Chelsea in September. 

"More mallification of Manhattan!" said one commenter of Lowe's opening next week, which was first reported by DNAinfo.

Some said they would avoiding the retail giant in favor of smaller stores to show solidarity with their neighborhood businesses:

► "...true new yorkers know n trust ma n pa stores they would never desert them," commented Uptown_girl69 on Neighborhood Square.

► "I'll stick with Gartner's Hardware at 162 West 72nd. They're in a bigger location now and have had the pleasure of my business for decades!" a Facebook user said on DNAinfo's Upper West Side page.

For years, residents have bemoaned the arrival of chain banks, drugstores and big-boxes in the neighborhood. 

In 2012, a law introduced by City Councilwoman Gale Brewer was passed that limits the expansion of storefront sizes in the neighborhood to prevent big-box stores from pushing out smaller mom-and-pops. However, the law exempted stores along Broadway and grandfathered in existing spaces. 

Not everyone was dismissive of the chain.

► "I think it's great. Give the local stores a run for their money," another Facebook user commented to the Upper West Side page.

► "I know a lot of Manhattanites are unhappy about these big box stores opening up, but I am excited about Lowes opening up...now folks in Manhattan don't have to go all the way out to New Jersey to do the same shopping as everyone else," said commenter stefystef on DNAinfo.com. 

Others predicted it would become popular:

► "So much protest over its opening but I'm sure lots of ppl will shop there and it will be successful," a Facebook user said. 

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