After months of steep discounts, the Mandee store in Throggs Neck closed its doors, but what will fill its space is still a mystery.
The women’s clothing store occupied a prime corner at 3860 E. Tremont Avenue at the Cross Bronx Expressway Service Road for almost 30 years.
The Throggs Neck Merchants Association have some concerns about the vacancy, said president Stephen Kaufman. The association has not received any information about what the landlord’s plans are to re-lease the site.
“We’d like a neighborhood-friendly business to open,” said Kaufman. “We don’t want to see something come in and not benefit the community.”
They’re hoping the space will be filled by a similar retailer, he said, or at the very least that the next tenant won’t attract a rowdy crowd to the neighborhood.
Community Board 10 is also hoping that a family-friendly business will occupy the space, said district manager Ken Kearns, whether its a restaurant or another service-oriented business.
“Something the community could hang its hat on,” he said.
But right now the board has no idea what business might end up there, and they don’t have any say in what finally does.
“It’s a vast space,” said Kearns. “It could be a lot of things.”
The 15,000 square foot building, with ample parking, is currently listed as available for lease on Welco Realty’s website. The property owner, Jeffrey Resnick, could not be reached.
Before Mandee the property was occupied by a Finast Supermarket.
The future of the Throggs Neck Mandee has been up in the air for years.
The store was rumored to be closing in 2011, and in 2013 parent company Big M filed for bankruptcy and was acquired by Canadian retail company YM Inc.
The outlook for the Mandee stores in general is also unclear. A call to the other Bronx Mandee location at the Bay Plaza Shopping Center revealed that it will be closing near the end of the month.
YM did not respond to inquiries before press time.
