Vacant Blockbuster Leaves Gap in North Merrick Shopping District

When Blockbuster closed its doors in the spring, it left a large vacancy at 1756 Merrick Avenue in North Merrick.

The sprawling, 3,600 square-foot store has sparked interested among businesses, but the perfect fit for the property has yet to be found.

Jeff Chin, property manager, told Patch that he has had a lot of calls about the property, but he has been selective about what will go into the space.

"I have had a lot of calls but nothing has taken that spot yet," Chin said. "I don't want to put food there because I don't want to hurt the existing tenants," he added.

Chin said that ideally, he would like a bank or a discount store to fill the void in the strip mall.

But there is an exception to every rule.

"If something franchised came that was food-related, I would take it, but it would have to be a big name franchise," explained Chin.

In addition, if the right clients were to come along, Chin would sub-divide the space.

"I would prefer to rent the whole thing out, but I would sub-divide it if the right people came along," he said.

Merrick Patch will regularly spotlight vacant commercial properties in an effort to initiate a discussion within the community about the best uses for these abandoned places. If you'd like to know more about a specific property, please comment below.