7-Eleven | No 7-Eleven

Via EV Grieve

The Center for an Urban Future [has] published the sixth edition of its annual “State of the Chains” study ranking the national retailers with the most store locations in New York City. The study shows that the expansion of chain stores across the city slowed considerably over the past year, even as Dunkin Donuts recently became the first national retailer with more than 500 stores across the five boroughs.

The report reveals that there was only a 0.5 percent increase in the number of national retail locations in New York City between 2012 and 2013, the smallest year-over-year increase since we began compiling data on the city’s national retailers in 2008—and down from a 2.4 percent gain between 2011 and 2012. Two boroughs — Manhattan and Queens — actually experienced a decline in the number of chain stores between 2012 and 2013. Overall, the 302 national retailers that were listed on last year’s ranking expanded their footprint in New York City from a total of 7,190 stores in 2012 to 7,226 stores in 2013, a 0.5 percent increase. This marks the sixth straight year there has been a net increase in the number of national chain stores in the five boroughs.

For the sixth consecutive year, Dunkin Donuts tops our list as the largest national retailer in New York City, with a total of 515 stores. Over the past year, Dunkin Donuts had a net increase of 39 stores in the city (an 8 percent gain). Subway is still the second largest national retailer in the city, with 467 locations across the five boroughs. It had a net gain of 28 stores since last year (a 6 percent increase). Rounding out the top ten national retailers in New York are: Duane Reade/Walgreens (with 318 stores), Starbucks (283), MetroPCS (261), McDonalds (240), Baskin Robbins (202), Rite Aid (190), T-Mobile (161) and GNC (138).

There are now 15 retailers with more than 100 stores across the city, up from 14 last year. Over the past year, 7-Eleven became the latest retailer with at least 100 locations in New York; it expanded from 97 stores in 2012 to 124 today.

Starbucks has more stores in Manhattan than any other national retailer, with 212 locations. In each of the other boroughs, Dunkin Donuts tops the list — it has 154 stores in Queens, 123 in Brooklyn, 72 in the Bronx and 32 on Staten Island.

Among the retailers with the largest numerical growth over the past year:

• Dunkin Donuts: 515 locations, up from 476 in 2012
• Subway: 467 locations, up from 439 in 2012
• 7-Eleven: 124 locations, up from 97 in 2012
• Starbucks: 283 locations, up from 272 in 2012

Read more, including the full report, at EV Grieve.

Today’s am New York features a story about the rapidly expanding chain stores and chain restaurants in New York City. The article reports Manhattan has the highest concentration of chain stores and chain restaurants with 119 per square mile. 7-Eleven tops the list with 32 locations in Manhattan alone. Another 100 7-Eleven locations are scheduled to arrive in Manhattan by 2017. From the article.

“There are way too many. They’re part of a larger trend of suburbanization that’s been going on in the city” largely over the last decade or so, said Jeremiah Moss, who runs the blog Vanishing New York, which documents changes in the Big Apple.

“These are not one-of-a-kind businesses, they’re clones of each other, and they don’t feel like New York because they’re not of New York,” Moss said.

A grassroots group called No 7-Eleven formed last year to protest the opening of the convenience store, focusing on the East Village, whose “neighborhood feel” would be diminished by more 7-Elevens, a group representative said.

“The chain stores in New York City take away from the city’s character,” a representative said. “Anything special, unique or culturally significant in New York City is being pushed out and replaced with big brand names and predictable experiences the tourists and transients feel safe with.”

The chain, which has 32 stores in Manhattan and reportedly plans to open about 100 more, said “there is opportunity to grow more stores based on unmet demand,” and that the “vast majority of our stores in NYC [are] met with no opposition.”

Welcome to your opposition.

As more chains hit the city could mom and pop be in trouble? [am New York]