This city is a retail melting pot

When it comes to retail diversity, Manhattan is about as inclusive as it gets.

A first-of-its-kind survey of 906 existing retailers in three of Manhattan’s leading shopping districts (SoHo, Fifth Avenue, and Madison Avenue) found a virtual “United Nations” of merchants originating from 26 countries. The Cushman & Wakefield study found that nearly four out of 10 retailers – 39% -- originate from outside the United States.

American retailers made up 61% of the overall sample, Italians ranked overall at 11%. France placed third overall, representing 7% of the total. The U.K. ranked fourth and accounted for 5% of the surveyed retailers.

“Manhattan is a powerful, global magnet for retailers,” said Gene P. Spiegelman, Cushman & Wakefield vice chairman and head of North America Retail Services. “The world’s merchants vie to come here simply because they are able to expose their brand to such a vast number of customers.”