The city is still runnin’ on Dunkin’.
Dunkin’ Donuts, which added 39 outlets for a total of 515 throughout the city, topped the "State of the Chains" list as the most ubiquitous chain store for the sixth straight year, according to the annual report issued by the Center for an Urban Future.
But chain store growth citywide slowed to a .5% increase from 2012 to 2013, with the number of chain stores increasing only from 7,190 to 7,226.
Growth of chain stores for the last several years has been between two and four percent, so the latest news signals a bit of relief for NYC’s small and independent businesses, said the Center’s executive director, Jonathan Bowles.
Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island added the highest number of big box, fast food and national retail outlets. Manhattan and Queens registered slight drops in chain growth, but the Manhattan closures were due mostly to retailers shuttering businesses in the South Street Seaport, both as a result of Superstorm Sandy and the recent closure of Pier 17 for redevelopment.
Dunkin’ Donuts, Subway, 7-Eleven and Starbucks added the most new outlets and Just Salad, L’Occitane, Trader Joe’s, Chop’t, and Claire’s Accessories were the retailers with the greatest percentage growth.
Losers included Daffy’s, which closed all 11 stores after declaring bankruptcy, T-Mobile, which closed 12 of its locations, leaving 161 throughout the city, Qdoba, which went from nine to two locations, Tasti D-Lite, which went from 25 to 18 stores, Sunglass Hut, which went from 32 to 25 and Staples, which dropped from 58 to 51 locations.
Four retailers that are new to the survey — the Buffalo Exchange, Buffalo Wild Wings, Moe’s Southwestern Grill and Second Time Around — will be measured in the years to come.
