Century 21 department store to reopen in lower Manhattan after COVID closures, bankruptcy – New York Daily News

Big Apple bargain shoppers, rejoice.

Century 21, the discount department store chain in financial ruin after COVID-19 shutdowns, will return to the city next spring, the company announced Tuesday.

A store is set to launch in the edgy chain’s former flagship location across from the World Trade Center in midtown Manhattan in what should be good news for fans of the 13 stores that closed last year. after the pandemic forced the company to file for bankruptcy.

“The iconic retailer and purveyor of discount luxury fashion has partnered with global premium experiences company Legends to present a revitalized shopping experience to loyal local and global Century 21 fans,” the company said on Tuesday. company in a press release. “Through this next evolution, Century 21 will stay true to its DNA – synonymous with value and luxury – with an exceptional assortment of designer brands at unbeatable prices that the brand has offered for over 60 years.”

Those behind the revival promise a “more streamlined customer shopping experience through in-store upgrades and an increased e-commerce presence, which will debut at the same time as the physical store opens. his doors”.

The reopened Cortlandt St. store will occupy the four main floors it previously occupied, selling designer duds for men, women and children, as well as shoes, outerwear, handbags, fragrances and accessories.

Tourists and locals alike frequented the huge department store for its deeply discounted goods, carrying their purchases in the chain’s signature oversized red shopping bags. These bags could get a new look next year, as Century 21 plans to add “NYC” to its logo to help emphasize its borough-based roots.

The company was founded in 1961, with its first location in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Manhattan’s flagship Cortlandt St. outpost near the World Trade Center was damaged in the 9/11 attacks. After undergoing renovations, it reopened five months after the attacks, in February 2002.

“Century 21 is, and always will be, a New York brand,” Raymond Gindi, co-CEO of Century 21, said in a statement. “Our flagship store has long been a symbol of this city’s resilience and unwavering spirit.

“In our 60-year history, we have closed only twice, once after the devastation of 9/11 and then again during the COVID-19 pandemic. But like the true New Yorkers that we are, we persevered.

In February 2021, the company announced that it would bring back physical stores, but did not announce which locations would reopen at the time. It was unclear Tuesday which, if any, additional Century 21 locations may reopen in the future.