TikTok loves a bargain, but New Yorkers have long known the euphoric feeling of landing a ready-made designer deal.
The Century 21 department store, once a midtown Manhattan designer discount mecca, is reopening its flagship store at 22 Cortland Ave. in front of the World Trade Center on May 16. The news was first reported by Crains New York.
After being in business for 60 years, Century 21 filed for bankruptcy in 2020, even though the company earned $747 million in 2019, per Gothamist. Court records indicate that the pandemic-related decrease in foot traffic in lower Manhattan and e-commerce activity, in general, have hurt the company. Century 21 closed all 13 stores in Florida, New Jersey and Pennsylvania during the restructuring.
“Since 1961, when Al and Sonny Gindi opened what was then a small store in midtown Manhattan, we’ve proudly offered shoppers unparalleled access to designer brands at incredible prices,” said the co-CEO of Century 21, IG Gindi, at the time of closing. “While we want Century 21 to continue to be a go-to shopping destination for so many, we are proud of the pioneering role it has played in off-price retail and the iconic brand it is. became.”
Reports say the store will be half the size of the original.
It’s official: Century 21’s flagship store reopens May 16th. Downtown at 22 Cortlandt St.
Great to see a New York icon come back to life.https://t.co/M58pwLl5lk pic.twitter.com/B5wiLnZxHJ
— Mark D. Levine (@MarkLevineNYC) May 1, 2023
