Presence of National Retailers Increases on Upper West Side: Study

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — The presence of national chain retailers — such as Starbucks, Subway and 7-Eleven — has increased on the Upper West Side, according to a new study from the Center for an Urban Future.

The study titled "State of the Chains, 2016" is the center's eight-annual report on national chains in New York City. The Center for an Urban Future — which describes itself as "a catalyst for smart and sustainable policies that reduce inequality, increase economic mobility, and grow the economy in New York City" — defines a national chain as any store that has two location within NYC limits and one location outside of the city.

In its study the Center for an Urban Future broke down the number of national retailers by zip code and calculated which zip codes experienced an uptick. All three of the zip codes that span the Upper West Side — 10023, 10024 and 10025 — saw an increase in the presence of national chains.

Here's how the numbers broke down:

• 10023 (Upper West Side): 89 national retailers in 2016 compared to 85 in 2015.
• 10024 (Upper West Side): 67 national retailers in 2016 compared to 64 in 2015.
• 10025 (Upper West Side/Morningside Heights): 81 national retailers in 2016 compared to 78 in 2015.

The data shows more national retailers are moving into the Upper West Side than those moving out, mirroring a trend consistent throughout the city. The number of national retailers throughout all five boroughs increased by 1.2 percent — from 7,154 stores to 7,243 — an rate greater than the 1 percent increase from 2014 to 2015.

"This is the eighth consecutive year with a net increase in national chain stores in the five boroughs," the study stated.

The increased city-wide presence of national retailers was spurred by strong growth in the Bronx, Staten Island, Queens and Brooklyn, according to the study. The number of national retailers in Manhattan actually decreased in 2016. But despite the decrease in Manhattan, the city's busiest borough still tops the list when it comes to the number of national retail stores.

Read the full Center for an Urban Future study here.

Photo by Nicholas Wang via Flickr/Creative Commons