Last Chance for New York & Company?

... apparently. I had seen somewhere online speculation that the Austin Street store was closing. A friend of mine sent in these photos and it sure looks like it. If so, that would open up quite a big prime space along Austin Street...

Benneton No More

For the headline to this post, I was trying to think of one of those odd, erroneous phrases Benneton used to put on its t-shirts back in the eighties/nineties, like "Benneton: Yes, Why?" and such. Do they still do that? Anyway, I guess I have even less of a chance of finding out considering one of its few remaining stores—located where else, but here in time-warped Forest Hills—recently closed on Austin, or transitioned to become something called "Original Marines."
Thanks to Gladys for sending in the pic!
You can just make out the new name and logo if you look closely...

Hospital Conversion and New Clothing Store for Austin

A couple of other local developments readers have contacted me about over the past several days...
The former Parkway Hospital, which has been abandoned for the past six years, is being turned into condos. You can read more about it here: Former Parkway Hospital will be converted to condos
And the children's clothing store on Austin near Benetton that closed a couple of months ago is becoming another clothing store called Steps New York, this time a women's clothing store, a chain that is affiliated with Kara New York and located in malls, one reader tells me.

New Women's Clothing Store for Austin

The women's clothing store Second Time Around, otherwise known as "sta," is going to open on Austin, in the vacant store used by Rickys during Halloween.

This place seems to be following me. One of its other locations in New York City is in SoHo, right near where I lived many a year ago on Thompson St.