Nov. 19, By Christian Murray (2009)
A Subway sandwich store and an “express grocery” are opening up on 44th and Queens Blvd., taking over the large retail space that Welcome Mart had occupied before it abruptly closed two weeks ago.
The Subway sandwich shop will be the third in the neighborhood, with the exisiting ones located on Greenpoint Ave. (between 45th and 46th) and at 3911 Queens Blvd. The express grocery is going to be small, as many convenience stores are struggling to pay their expensive overheads, particularly rent.
Last month, the closing of Welcome Mart, a mid-sized convenience/grocery store, led to five employees being laid off. Sources said the store was unable to cover its high rent. They said it made sense for two stores to be located in that one space.
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5 Comments
Well you’ve got the Tower Square shopping Center (northern and woodside ave) Starbucks and Gamestop being duplicated on Queens blvd now. That’s another two.
Indeed, I miss Quizno’s itself – not that staff but the food – just because it was a chain that wasn’t a Subway. Here are other chains with multiple locations in the neighborhood (or near proximity):
2 Dunkin’ Donuts
4 Rite Aides
2 Chase branches (across from each other)
2 McDonalds
2 Dime branches
Can anyone think of any others? I would characterize this as a mini retail epidemic that risks dulling Sunnyside’s shine.
I wish Quiznos would come back instead!
Wow what a winner – there is already a Subway four blocks down on Queens Blvd too by the way – Chamber/Sunnyside Shines: can’t you find a way to get unique businesses (or in the very least another sandwich chain??) to open in Sunnyside? Seriously, three Subways within 10 minutes of each other makes perfect business sense.
Thanks Patrick. I just included the other Subway store in the story.