The “anchor” store of the E. Tremont Avenue shopping strip in Throggs Neck, one of the few chain stores in the community, may be closing.
The imminent closing of the Mandee location at 3860 E. Tremont Avenue, was discussed at the Community Board 10 general meeting on Thursday, November 17.
The Throggs Neck Merchants Association and CB 10 have yet to receive word as to when the Mandee location will close or the reasons behind it, but merchants are already looking at options to attract another clothing store to the community, said merchant leader and CB 10 Economic Development Committee chairman James McQuade.
“If Target wasn’t going where it is, I would like to see something like that at this location,” McQuade said, referencing a plan to locate a Target in Ferry Point. “I would like to see a clothing store go there that would sell clothes for both men and women. We are open to anyone who is a good merchant and a good neighbor.”
The board has already solicited the help of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, asking its president Seth Pinsky, who spoke at a Economic Development Committee meeting on Wednesday, November 2, to assist in finding a suitable merchant to replace Mandee in the event it closes, said CB 10 district manager Kenneth Kearns.
“The board recognizes that a vacant store at the Mandee site leaves a large hole in the retail sector on E. Tremont Avenue,” Kearns said. “The board contacted the New York City Economic Development Corporation to try to find a retailer for the site.”
The NYC EDC has a staff member who is assigned to work on the matter, Kearns said, and the board is also working closely with the Throggs Neck Merchants Association.
“It is our desire to bring in a store that fits in with the ambiance of the neighborhood and does not bring it down, because in a way this store is located at an entranceway into our neighborhood,” said Steve Kaufman, president of the Throggs Neck Merchants Association. “We are in communication with the gentleman who is the owner of the property.”
The owner of the property was listed on Department of Buildings documents in 2010 as Jeffrey Resnick, a partner in 3680 East Tremont Avenue LLC, based in Warren, VT. He was unavailable for comment as of press time. Big M Inc., the parent company of Mandee, did not return calls for comment on the possible closure, either.
Patrick Rocchio can be reach via e-mail at procchio@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 742-3393
