Chain retailers continued decreasing NYC store presence in 2025
Despite high profile flagship openings, chain retailers are decreasing their footprints in the Big Apple overall.
The total number of chain stores across New York City fell for the sixth time in the past eight years, declining 1.3% citywide, according to the 18th annual State of the Chains report from nonprofit organization Center for an Urban Future (CUF). This decrease amounts to a net loss of 112 stores since last year.
The retail pullback in 2025 was driven by long-established national chains. Seven of New York’s 10 largest chains reduced their footprints this year, led by Starbucks, which closed 42 stores (the most of any retailer that did not fully exit the market). Other brands with steep reductions include Claire’s, Staples, Old Navy, Duane Reade, and Juice Press, according to CUF.
Eighteen retailers closed all of their stores in New York City, the second-highest number on record outside the pandemic year of 2020. Major chains such as Rite Aid, Rent-A-Center, Party City, and Forever 21 shuttered all remaining locations in the city in 2025.
All boroughs saw net declines in chain stores, led by the Bronx (-2.5%) and Staten Island (-2.4%). CUF found that Queens emerged as the only borough with multiple neighborhoods posting strong gains, particularly in the neighborhoods of Long Island City, Forest Hills, Ridgewood and Astoria.
Notably, the number of chain stores in New York City is 17.6% below the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, a net loss of 1,397 locations. More than half of all retailers tracked in 2019 have fewer locations today.
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“New York’s retail landscape is undergoing a profound shift,” said Jonathan Bowles, executive director of CUF. “Legacy chains continue to cut back in NYC, but this year’s findings show strong momentum among newer chains, especially food beverage retailers.”
Of retailers that are expanding in the Big Apple, newer retail chains, fitness brands, and food & beverage brands are leading the way. Club Pilates (+13), Naya (+10), Maman (+7), Van Leeuwen (+7), Wonder (+7), and Miniso (+4) recorded notable increases. Fitness and health studios added 18 new locations, including strong growth from Club Pilates, SLT, StretchLab and others.
Food chains now represent more than half (55.8%), a record, of all national chain stores in the city. This marks a stark rise from last year (50.2%) and from a decade ago (45.9%). Fast-casual restaurants, grocers, pizza chains, and bakeries posted double-digit cumulative new store openings in 2025.
Methodology
The State of the Chains 2025 report is based on data collected between Oct. 7 and Nov. 10, 2025, tracking every national retailer with at least two NYC locations and at least one location outside the city. The analysis includes borough- and ZIP code-level trends across more than 8,000 chain store locations.
The Center for an Urban Future (CUF) is an independent think tank that is “focused on creating a stronger and more equitable economy in New York and expanding economic opportunity for all New Yorkers.”
