NEW YORK CITY — National retailers are turning New York into one big shopping mall, according to a new report.
Chain store numbers surged between 2013 and 2014, with a 2.8 percent overall increase in store locations — significantly up from the 0.5 percent gain between 2012 and 2013 and the largest year-over-year increase in four years, according to an annual report from Center for an Urban Future released Monday.
The report also shows that the city is fueled by coffee, with Dunkin' Donuts having the most chain stores in the city, at 536. Starbucks topped the list for Manhattan, with 205 locations, while Dunkin' Donuts was the leader in the other boroughs.
The second largest national retailer in the city is Subway, followed by Duane Reade and Walgreens, metroPCS, Starbucks, McDonalds, Baskin Robbins, Rite Aid, T-Mobile and GNC, the report said.
Queens saw a notable 6.4 percent increase in chain stores, from 1,663 last year to 1,770 this year, the report said. The Bronx, which came in second for percentage increase, saw a 4.2 percent uptick, bringing it to 914 chain stores this year. Brooklyn came in third with a 3.4 percent increase, with 1,593 chain stores in the borough this year, the report said.
Manhattan and Staten Island had the lowest increases in chain store numbers — 0.4 and 0 percent, respectively — the report added.
However, the 10001 zip code in Midtown Manhattan and the 10314 zip code on Staten Island were home to the highest number of chain store locations (180 each) within single zip codes.
The 11201 zip code, covering Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn and parts of Cobble Hill, tied for the highest number of chains in the borough (145), with the Flatlands' 11234 zip code.
These were followed by the 11373 zip code covering Corona and Elmhurst in Queens, which has 90 chain stores, and the 10462 zip code covering Parkchester in The Bronx, which also has 90 chain locations.
The city has seen a net increase in national chain stores for the last six years, with 7,508 locations this year, up from 7,303 in 2013.
Brooklyn topped last year’s report with the largest percentage increase in the number of chain stores, at 2.8 percent.
This year, fast-food, pharmacies, cellphone dealers and vitamin shops rounded out the top 10 national retailers in the city.
However, some national retailers, like Coldwater Creek, Submarina CA Subs, Gloria Jeans’ Coffee, Juicy Couture and Goodburger have closed all of their city locations since last year, according to the report.
