Farewell to NYC Convenience Gifts (and the hot nuts)

After a quick 17-month run, NYC Convenience Gifts has called it a day on the SE corner of 14th Street and Fourth Avenue. (Thanks to EVG reader Doug for the photo and tip!) 

The sprawling shop burst onto the scene in May 2024 with a little bit of everything — officially licensed NYC merch, vaping gear, ice cream, luggage … and eventually, hot nuts. Basically, a souvenir shop that looked like it missed a turn and ended up some 30 blocks south of Port Authority. 

And for the record: despite persistent neighborhood lore, those mannequins in the window were not the inspiration for the kids in "Weapons."

TImes Square-friendly business is now up and running on Union Square

NYC Convenience Gifts, a Times Square-friendly business, is now open on the SE corner of 14th Street and Fourth Avenue. (First mentioned here.)

Step into NYC Convenience Gifts and discover a treasure trove of NYC-licensed products, each a unique piece of the city's charm. They have everything from mini license plates to magnetic bookmarks, mugs to hats. And that's not all — the place also offers a range of vaping products and ice cream and luggage...

... and that's just what we saw from the windows. 

Speaking of windows, the army of handless "Children of the Corn"-ish mannequins give us the creeps...

The last tenant, the oddly configured Walgreens, closed here in February 2022. 

It's a vast space, and we wondered what might eventually move in... the Walgreens was renovated and expanded into the space above the quick-serve restaurants on Fourth Avenue back in 2010... (this far-flung layout is what we meant by "oddly configured.") 

Previously on EV Grieve:

• Union Square Walgreens not being intimidated by world's largest Duane Reade

Former Walgreens space on Union Square to be home to a Times Square-friendly business

The SE corner of 14th Street and Fourth Avenue will soon be home to a Times Square-friendly biz called NYC Convenience Gifts. 

The signage promises items ranging from souvenirs (FDNY and NYPD branded) to luggage, watches and ice cream. 

The EVG reader who shared these photos called the new business an "eyesore." Sure, but it's handy if you need a suitcase and an ice cream cone in a hurry... 

The oddly configured Walgreens closed here in February 2022. 

It's a huge space, and we wondered what might eventually move in... the Walgreens was renovated and expanded into the space above the quick-serve restaurants on Fourth Avenue back in 2010... (this far-flung layout is what we meant by "oddly configured.") 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Union Square Walgreens not being intimidated by world's largest Duane Reade

Mid-afternoon Walgreens signage removal shots

As seen today on the 13th Street/Fourth Avenue side of the now-closed Walgreens... thanks to Jeanne Krier for the pics...

So long to the Union Square Walgreens

Seeing this one through... the Walgreens on the SE corner of 14th Street and Fourth Avenue is now permanently closed (as of Thursday) ...

The sizeable retail imprint includes a second level that reaches 13th Street...

Despite what the New York Post wants you to believe with its crime-chaos narratives, drug stores aren't closing because of shoplifting. This piece from Curbed last week explains what has been going on, including pandemic-related supply-chain issues and losses due to online competition.

Per the article: Walgreens says that when it closes stores, its reasoning is rooted in "the dynamics of the local market and the changing buying habits of our customers."

Walgreens customers can now go to the Walgreens-owned Duane Reade 50 steps away at 1 Union Square.

ICYMI: That oddly configured Walgreens is closing on Union Square

This has come up a few times in emails and in comment threads...So!

As posted on Jan. 24, the Walgreens on the SE corner of 14th Street and Fourth Avenue is closing on Feb. 17, per the window signage. 

Walgreens customers can then go to other Walgreens, Duane Reades or Duane Reade by Walgreens locations, including the outpost at 1 Union Square. (For the sake of journalisming, we walked from the soon-to-close Walgreens to the Duane Reade — 50 steps!)

This corner Walgreens was renovated and expanded into the space above the quick-serve restaurants on Fourth Avenue back in 2010...

What could possibly fit in this space now (?).

Oddly configured Walgreens is closing on Union Square

The Walgreens on the SE corner of 14th Street and Fourth Avenue is closing on Feb. 17, per the window signage here...

This comes following this branch's pharmacy pulling out at the end of 2021. Customers of the location are instructed to visit other Walgreens or Duane Reades, including the big one about 75 feet to the west at 1 Union Square.

The Walgreens here was renovated and expanded into the space above the quick-serve restaurants on Fourth Avenue back in 2010... (this far-flung layout is what the headline meant by "oddly configured" ...)

Anyway, this is the latest Walgreens or Duane Reade to shutter... the Walgreens on Astor Place closed in August 2020 ... three neighborhood Duane Reade by Walgreens locations have closed in recent years. The outpost on Avenue D at Houston and First Avenue between 14th Street and 15th Street shuttered in November 2019 while the storefront on 10th Street and Third Avenue shut down in early March 2019.

The Walgreens on Astor Place closes at the end of August

The Walgreens location on Astor Place at Lafayette is closing at the end of the month... signs are now up on the plywood outside announcing Aug. 31 as the last day in business...



Walgreens is transferring prescriptions to nearby stores — in this case one on West Fourth Street.

Last August, Walgreens announced that it was closing nearly 200 U.S. locations, including its Duane Reade brand, as part of a sweeping $1.5-billion cost-cutting measure.

With that, three neighborhood Duane Reade by Walgreens locations have closed in recent months. The outpost on Avenue D at Houston and First Avenue between 14th Street and 15th Street shuttered last November while the storefront on 10th Street and Third Avenue shut down in early March.

The Astor Place Walgreens had been looted in early June along with other businesses along this corridor.

Thank you to Vinny & O for the photos and tip!