The only thing that really defines a mall in New York City is that a bunch of stuff is for sale. This could be done in the traditional mall, an indoor enclosure with stores lined up side by side. This can also be achieved in stretches of certain blocks, such as the garment district in the 30s near Eighth Avenue, which offers rows of fabric stores; the diamond district in the 40s near Park Avenue with its lineup of jewelry stores; or the snazzy high-priced fashion shops found lining midtown's Fifth Avenue. Pockets of other shopping include Orchard Street's leather shops, lower Broadway's array of funky fashion and even the Union Square Farmers Market with its stalls stuffed with fruits and vegetables near the subway station.
The malls of New York are more than just a place to spend money. Sure, plenty of cash is forked over for awesome bargains, unique gifts and even overpriced shirts that could be found cheaper in identical stores elsewhere, but malls also offer other opportunities. New or unknown artists can showcase their work, whether it be photography, jewelry or knickknacks made of metal debris. Other artisans can pick up ideas for their own creations. The malls also offer a social experience, throwing together lots of folks from different backgrounds and lifestyles all with the same purpose: buying something really cool. One more function is that the experience offer quick lessons on how to effectively and smoothly maneuver through throngs of crowds.
Once an anomaly in New York City, a handful of conventional shopping malls now exist, ready to suck shoppers away from the more unique experience of shopping in the streets. One of the first to break into the shopping mall scene was Kings Plaza Shopping Center & Marina, which opened in the 1970s. The mall, however, is in a far corner of Brooklyn where not much immediate shopping was readily available. Others, such as Manhattan Mall in the center of Manhattan, which didn't come around until after 1986, end up competing with smaller, surrounding retailers and potentially ruining business for its neighbors.
If one must hit a traditional mall in New York City, there's a handful throughout four of the five boroughs. Kings Plaza Shopping Center & Marina, one of the largest and oldest, can be found at 5100 Kings Plaza in Brooklyn. Queens Center, which graces the borough of Queens, is at 90-15 Queens Blvd., near Woodhaven Boulevard. The closest experience to suburbia, at least with its surrounding homes, is found at the Staten Island Mall, 2655 Richmond Ave. Four indoor malls in Manhattan include the Manhattan Mall, Sixth Avenue and 33rd Street; the South Street Seaport at 12 Fulton St.; Trump Tower at 725 Fifth Ave.; and Takashimaya at 693 Fifth Ave.
The traditional malls in New York are just as mundane as the traditional malls found elsewhere. In fact, lack of affordable space will often actually make the malls more cramped, not as elaborate and lacking as many sitting areas, glass elevators or flashy fountains, staples at many other malls across the nation. Department stores and other chains may also be forced to boost their prices a bit to meet the rent payments, thus making a shirt at a New York mall costlier than an identical shirt at the same store somewhere else.
