It’s about time, really. I mean, NYC folk are soooo behind all the trends. Monster trucks. Strip malls. Minivans.
About the only time they’re ahead of the game is in fashion, as evidenced by a recent post (Sherri?) showing the gal with the, um, capitol dome on her, um, assets.
But now all has changed. New Yorkers have finally taken their cue from the rest of us.
They have …. (wait for it) ….. a TARGET.
And can I just say, it’s about time.
I learned this mind-boggling bit of news as I was on the plane flying back from Orlando and reading USA Today while I waited to be granted permission to turn my iPad back on. I’m thrilled. Some of my favorite plates, serving platters and glassware comes from Target, not to mention funky baskets, rugs, and tuck-in-the-corner furniture. It’s about time New Yorkers had some shopping choices!
All kidding aside, I know it must be nice for NYC’ers to have more one-stop shopping. At the same time, sister Whiner Dee has mentioned that a sad result of Home Depot moving into the Big Apple is the inevitable closing up of small mom-and-pop hardware shops, and that’s a sad thing. Manhattan is my favorite “I’ve never lived there but really want to” city, and I’ve visited a lot. I don’t want it to look like the Wolf Ranch shopping center down the road from me. I just don’t.
But I think it’s inevitable.
Has your neighborhood changed lately? Become more homogenized? Giving into strip-mall-itis? Do you love the convenience? Hate the big box feel? Or a combination of both?
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
Went this weekend to the above mentioned Target. Rode the 6 train to 116th and then walked the five long blocks (the same as of fifteen reg blocks) to said Target. It’s in a weird little mall located on the edge of the FDR by the East River. Totally not in Manhattan as far as I’m concerned even though geographically it is. We’ll not be going back — which says alot as I love Target. It’s just too difficult to get to (even when we discovered a shuttle back to the subway.) Much easier to get to Queens when I’m having a Target craving. Good news is that with its location, it won’t impact local stores in the way that Home Depot at 3rd and 59th did. It was really sad watching the little hardware stores close. But we do shop there alot. Agree with Julie though — I’ll take a street with cheese shop, butcher, local pharmacy and fish store over a strip mall any day. That said, local pharmacy recently closed and there’s a Walgreens on every corner now. Progress?
Forgot to say while perusing the new book section saw Sherri’s Jane Slayre — the only Whine Sister to be represented… two stacks… GO SHERRI and thanks for representing!
Did I mention that I love Target? I do now.
We moved from a large suburb where every store you could imagine was a fifteen minute drive at most. Three mall within minutes, Costco, Sams–everything. We now live in a small town, and while I miss having a mall nearby (closet one is almost an hour away), I love it here. It’s quiet, no traffic, and the town is lovely and quaint and historic. The only thing I really miss is Costco–I used to shop there at least once a week
There’s a Costco in the same mall as the new Target. Went in and remembered how much I love their frozen foods. But not enough to join and fight the hoardes. I’ll just go to Zabars or Elis.
Close. It’s Legal Seafood (from Boston, I believe), and they have AWESOME chowder. I love everything that I’ve had there. Sadly, Legal Seafood left our mall (the nearest one is now in Paramus). The upside is that we’re getting Tony Roma’s (RIBS!).
I can live with that.:)
I am now in mourning……
We’re a pretty sheltered, classic New England town. We don’t even have a McDonald’s. We drive up the street to one in a neighboring city, if we must have it (and my 19 yo son occasionally must have.) Lots of trees. Old houses. One major shopping area, that does include the grocery store and a strip mall (but the “strip mall” is housed in a classic old building, or at least done in the style of a classic old building, so not as strip-mall in feel). Shops include Chicos, the Gap, Talbots, Joseph Banks, some townie shops, and a CVS. No Target or Walmart allowed. (There is a Target in the neighboring town that has McDonald’s).
Oh and Starbucks. We have a Starbucks in the shopping area. The one shop I frequent. How could I forget Starbucks?
Sounds like a great town! When are you hosting the New England Whine Retreat???? (Actually, how fun? A rotating retreat…)
Sherri, I love those little towns with the sidewalks and the trees, and the fancy facades with the Mom and Pop names.
I want to live there!
LOL, yeah, we’re moving next year. But probably to the same kind of town in Connecticut, closer to Mr. Right’s work. We should do the rotating retreat, though. The only hotel that could host us all (my house isn’t big enough and my family might consider us in the way) is across from the McDonald’s in that neighboring city. Or in nearby Springfield, at the site of the Basketball Hall of Fame (any fans? there is a Coldstone Creamery and a few restaurant/bars, bonus).
So you ARE moving, Sherri! You’d mentioned a while ago that you might have the moving bug. I’m not sure if I should say, “Congratulations!” or “Oh, you poor thing!” LOL! How about both?!
We’ll see. It won’t be for a little while, at least.
Umm…not sure if I like a Target in Manhattan. It’s my favorite “I’ve never lived there but really want to” cities, too.
I live just outside NYC and we have plenty of those shops. targets, walmarts, home depots, etc. i miss more little shops but have been finding them lately. especially in my new college town!!
Yay college towns!! I love them! I used to think they were all like Austin, which is a mecca of shopping along the Drag (the main street that borders the west edge of the original 40 acres). I’ve now lived in two small college towns. So different.
College towns are awesome fun! Can’t wait to see Austin again.
Speaking of, heard they put metal detectors in the Capitol. Oh, what a sad day indeed. Texas was sort of the last bastion of “Security? We don’t need no stinkin’ security!”
We live in the burbs outside NYC, moved here in 2002. They have a huge mall that was built about a year before we moved, and the local residents hated the idea of it because it would kill the little townie shops. It has killed a lot of them, along with the other older mall that’s down the road
I am torn because I love the little townie shops and I love the mall. I have never had a lot of time to shop and the mall lets me do EVERYTHING in one stop. For me, that counts a lot. But, I can see the damage that price-focus does to the community, but especially now, I don’t know that it can be erased.
Okay, have now depressed myself.
I have to say I love your mall, too. Don still talks about the clam chowder we had a Boston Legal (that’s the name, right?). Of course, you don’t have to go to a mall to have Boston Legal, but you do have to leave the Austin area….
Ah .. .that’s a defunct TV show… you mean Legal Seafood. And Kathleen’s mall is awesome. That’s where we go when we need a suburb blast… and their Target suits me just fine.
DUH. Yes! That’s what I mean!
Legal Seafood is awesome, and still in Boston and Providence RI (and apparently NJ). You can order their food and have it shipped to you– how cool is that? But you would have to reheat it, of course, or keep it on ice depending on what it is.
You can do that with Salt Lick BBQ, too. ALthough I haven’t done it yet. I do get tamales shipped from Dallas though.