Hudson Yards To Open 100+ Retail Shops

Hudson Yards is a New York City neighborhood that’s quickly establishing itself as a must-visit destination as Manhattan’s retail influence heads west, bringing with it a technological edge, Forbes reported Sunday (Aug. 25).

Since opening in March, The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards has given a home to digitally-native brands, and its seven-level immersive retail experience features some of the hottest clothing trends, where men’s fashion has a front row.

Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group teamed as co-developers to establish one of the biggest private real estate developments Manhattan has seen in decades.

Once completed, the 28-acre neighborhood will include the highest observation deck on the western hemisphere and 14 acres of public open space, all located where Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen meet, the article said.

Luxury menswear is expected to generate a lot of sales growth, Kenneth A. Himmel, president and Chief Executive Officer of Related Urban, told Forbes.

“Great menswear brands like Dunhill have opened stores at Hudson Yards and closed other locations — we now have their only flagship store in the city — which inherently drives their customer base to us,” he said.

“From one-of-a-kind timepieces at Watches of Switzerland to the only locations of digitally native menswear brands like Rhone and Mack Weldon, we have brands and products that you cannot find anywhere else regardless of style or price point,” he added.

Initial traffic flow indicates that 20-24 million people will visit Hudson Yards on an annual basis, Himmel said, which shows that the neighborhood strikes the right mix of dining, entertainment, culture and fashion for today’s consumer.

Luxury department store retailers are combining digital shopping technology with dining experiences as part of their overall innovation plans.

Neiman Marcus, for example, has taken over 188,000 square feet space on three floors to feature luxury fashion and dining, stocking iconic and emerging brands as well as exclusive products. Features include beauty treatment rooms and spa services, and digitally-enabled fitting rooms with digital stylists to work with customers in a place called the “Digital Styling Lounge.” There is also a Travel Shop with travel apparel and accessories for people on the go.