Survey: 'the explosion of chain stores in New York has slowed somewhat'

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The Center for an Urban Future today released its fourth annual study ranking the national retailers with the most store locations in New York City. This year’s study finds that the sluggish economy may be finally catching up with chain stores in New York. For the first time in the four-year history of the Center’s annual ranking, the explosion of chain stores in New York has slowed somewhat.

Nearly a third (31 percent) of the national retailers that were listed in our ranking last year reduced their presence over the past 12 months, compared to only 20 percent of chain stores that contracted between our 2009 and 2010 studies. And while Dunkin Donuts tops our ranking for the fourth consecutive year, for the first time the company did not show a net gain in stores—it held steady with 466 stores across the five boroughs, the same number as last year.

While the growth of chain stores has slowed, 86 of the retailers that were listed in last year’s study (28 percent) actually added locations over the past 12 months. Overall, the number of national retail stores in the city grew by 1.6 percent over the past year, as the 307 retailers included in last year’s ranking expanded from a total of 6,883 stores in 2010 to 6,994 stores in 2011. But the 1.6 percent increase is far below the 4 percent rate of growth in chain stores between 2009 and 2010.

Subway again ranked second on our list, but it began to close the gap between it and Dunkin Donuts by adding 41 new stores over the past year, an increase of 10.5 percent. The sandwich chain now has 430 stores across the five boroughs, up from 389 in 2010 and 335 in 2008. Metro PCS has quickly vaulted into the number 3 spot on our ranking, with 272 locations across the five boroughs. Starbucks dropped to fourth, though it grew by three percent over the past 12 months and now has 263 stores in the city. Other retailers with noteworthy gains in stores over the past year include:

* T-Mobile: 161 locations, up from 117 in 2010 (and nearly double their 82 stores in 2008)
* Metro PCS: 272 locations, up from 216 in 2010
* 7-Eleven: 83 locations, up from 74 in 2010 (and 57 in 2008)
* Family Dollar: 49 locations, up from 5 in 2010
* Sunglasses Hut: 32 locations, up from 19 in 2010
* Five Guys: 22 locations, up from 14 in 2010
* Aeropostale: 10 locations, up from 5 in 2010IHOP: 16 locations, up from 12 in 2010

Ninety-six companies (31 percent) reduced their footprint in the city over the past year. A few notable examples include:

* Borders: closed all of its 9 stores this past year
* Hollywood Video: closed its final 2 stores this year, after filing for bankruptcy in 2010
* Blockbuster: 10 stores, down from 30 in 2010
* American Apparel: 7 stores, down from 20 in 2010
* New York Sports Club: 42 stores, down from 53 in 2010 (Curves, another health club, also closed several stores, reducing its presence from 25 stores to 19.)
* Ann Taylor: 10 stores, down from 19 in 2010
* Gap: 33 locations, from 37 in 2010 (The company may reduce its presence further over the next year, as it just announced it will be closing 189 stores nationwide.
* Verizon Wireless: 43 locations, down from 50 in 2010
* Sprint: 25 locations, down from 33 in 2010
* Sleepy’s: 89 locations, down from 102 in 2010
* KFC: 60 locations, down from 71 in 2010
* Quizno’s: 10 locations, down from 15 in 2010 (and 27 in 2008)