.... at least those of us who don't have a car or don't live near Metropolitan Ave. What a pain! Now where am I going to get my paper and ink??
Yes, I received a flurry of emails and tweets late yesterday that the Staples on 71st/Continental is closing at the end of this month. That leaves the nearest one down near Metropolitan Ave., I think near the Trader Joe's if my memory serves me correctly. Out of reach on foot of most of us central Forest Hills residents.
Staples is the kind of store I always just took for granted. Of course there's a Staples nearby! I never gave it a thought really. So this comes as kind of a shock and a really annoying development for our neighborhood.
The only silver lining is this leaves a very nice, large space for another business to come in to the nabe, smack dab in the center of Forest Hills' main shopping drag. Hopefully it will be something useful and interesting...
Yes, I received a flurry of emails and tweets late yesterday that the Staples on 71st/Continental is closing at the end of this month. That leaves the nearest one down near Metropolitan Ave., I think near the Trader Joe's if my memory serves me correctly. Out of reach on foot of most of us central Forest Hills residents.
Staples is the kind of store I always just took for granted. Of course there's a Staples nearby! I never gave it a thought really. So this comes as kind of a shock and a really annoying development for our neighborhood.
The only silver lining is this leaves a very nice, large space for another business to come in to the nabe, smack dab in the center of Forest Hills' main shopping drag. Hopefully it will be something useful and interesting...
This comes a surprise. I'm really sorry to hear that Staples is closing as it's definitely a convenient store to have in the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteAs they offer Free Next Day delivery on online orders with a min $45, it's not a huge negative for me, but again, sorry to see this closing.
There is a Staples in Rego Center, and it's much bigger than the one on Metropolitan Ave.
ReplyDeleteYeah that's much closer than Metropolitan!
DeleteBut is reachable by subway.
DeleteYes, you can get off at the 63rd Street Drive station and walk along to the mall. You can't miss it!
DeleteWow that is bad news. I wonder if it's because Staples wasn't making enough $$$ or that their lease when up in price.
ReplyDeletePerfect location for a quality food store like Trader Joe's or Fairway, though I realize that's very doubtful.
ReplyDeleteway too small to be a Fairway
DeleteThree words- Whole Foods, Junior
DeleteI've heard the space is being turned into "The Duane Reade Bistro" after the success of their first one in the Financial District.
ReplyDeleteoh god why.
DeleteNo one ever was shopping in Staples. It is an obsolete business strategy. Radio Shack and Duane Reade next door sell everything they offer. As far as someone else coming in, the space is not ideal since it is on the 2nd floor and you have to go up the escalator to get there.
ReplyDeleteTrue, most of what they sell can be offered elsewhere. I did find it convenient to print out documents in a pinch or if I needed purchase packaging materials. And if i purchased something online that I wanted to return, it was a breeze. But now that I think about it, I could've done that elsewhere in the hood for a few pennies more.
DeleteI went there this weekend and had the weirdest exchange with the woman behind the print counter.
ReplyDeleteMe: I need to print a guilt city voucher.
Her: You can't print here.
Me: But this is the print center.
Her: Yes, but you can't print things out from a webpage. You have to rent a computer to do that in Rego Park.
Me: But this sign here in front of the counter says I can email you any webpage or document and you'll print it. (I had the voucher on my smart phone.)
Her: Ok (turns to leave)
Me: Wait, so I can print a webpage here.
Her: Yes ma'am you email me the webpage and I print it. That's how it works. I just told you that.
It was so bizarre, I didn't know if she was being rude or had just took some drugs in the back or what.
This is a good move because Staples has their larger stores elsewhere. The store was too small and sales obviously were not commensurate with the landlord rental fees.
ReplyDeleteMeans a better businesss model that makes sense for the community in its place.
I never used the local Staples except to drop off a UPS package once which was prepaid. What comes in its place will be much better for everyone.
Never heard of Duane Reade Bistro before. The flagship store is 40 Wall Street and has 22,000 square feet and has sushi bar, and other stuff, but considering this is Queens and NOT Manhattan that wouldn't do well and I don't think additional space for Duane Reed would make sense on the 2nd floor.
Can't say what would be added, but I would definitely knock it down, put a HOTEL and a nice restaurant/bar with a roofdeck if I had my way.
Considering its prime location, the area could be spruced up and made really nice.
But then again with CVS wanting its huge location on Queens Boulevard, an expanded Duane reed may be what is placed there.
ReplyDeleteI'm a teacher, so this is actually devastating news to me. While there is another Staples by Trader Joe's, parking there is insane at all times. There's another one in Jamaica, on the Van Wyck service road, but there's always traffic. Unless they're gonna put a gigantic Shake Shack in it's place, I can't think of anything that will make me very happy to see Staples go away.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, that was the worst Staples I have ever been to. They never had items in stock that I needed, the space is cramped and awkward, and the service there is awful. I won't miss it.
ReplyDeleteNo you are not out of luck. You can take the subway to the Rego Park Staples. Plenty of parking and mass transit access. It got closed only after the Rego Park one was opened up.
ReplyDeleteI agree, the Staples was bad in this area. Rego Park one is much better.
As to what will come in, unclear. Considering the 2 story layout of the store, I wonder if a demolition could be in order. If not the only other thing I could think of would be a Dwane Reed expansion but is there really anything they don't have already?
I seem to recall that the facade could not be torn down since it was a landmark. Maybe someone could confirm.
ReplyDeleteIt's a listed building and exterior of it will remain.
ReplyDeleteIt is NOT landmarked as per Department of Buildings.
ReplyDeleteYou can see for yourself at http://www.nyc.gov/html/dob/html/home/home.shtml
Enter in the Staples address of 107-16 Continental Avenue.
Obviously Staples can't be profitable here because there is a total lack of non-retail business in the area, to justify their monthly outlay. That being said, it's on Continental so we know we are not getting anything good in it's place. Continental is a filthy street I try not to walk down, and all that will be there is another characterless chain. We're very unlikely to get anything worthwhile in that space.
ReplyDeleteNothing but health-care facilities opening on Austin these days.
ReplyDeleteAt least the banks stopped coming in!
DeleteI shop @ Staples quite often for bulletin board supplies and the like for the children's room at the library where I work. Rego Park is only 2 train stops away, sure, but it's much more convenient to walk 2 blocks from my apartment to this Staples. So, this is sad news. And a Duane Reade Bistro?? That is even sadder.
ReplyDeleteJust for the record: There is no such thing as a Duane Reade Bistro. He was joking.
DeleteWhy do we have, like, 2 or 3 yogurt places and only one Staples? It was so convenient to have it there. Sigh.
ReplyDelete