MMKidz, a children’s clothing store at 105 Middle Neck Road in Great Neck Plaza, will close its doors, one of its owners has announced on Facebook.
The boutique store, which opened in Great Neck in March, catered to children from 1 to 16 years old. MMKidz’ first location was in Brooklyn and opened in 2016.
Meira Epner, one of the store owners, said the Great Neck location is closing and “everything must go.” All boys and girls items are 40 percent off.
Adam, a store owner who declined to give his last name, said they came to Great Neck Plaza because they previously had done shows in the area and “wanted to try out the neighborhood.”
The store’s exact closing date is unclear.
Jay Corn, the vice president of the Great Neck Plaza Business Improvement District, said it’s “very difficult to compete with the Internet” when it comes to retail and that the village is having a difficult time keeping those kinds of merchants in town.
“[The closing of] MMKidz is not a surprise,” Corn said. “In fact, it would have been a surprise if they made it.”
Two baby stores recently closed, while clothing stores like Camp and Campus and Adele Kauff also closed in the Plaza last year, Corn said.
“There were always new stores that would come in and try, but the icons were always here in between. That’s what we lost now. We lost the icons,” Corn said. “We lost the ones that were destination stores.”
The problem with the Great Neck Plaza stores/retail locations is obviously very internet related with respect to competition. So instead of putting a bandaid fix on the issues of empty stores; new ideas need to pondered and created. I have been in Great Neck for 62 years and when things change,one must change at that is the real big problem and dilemma. The wrong venues are coming into the Plaza, instead of focusing on what does work in other towns, our focal point should be laser focused on what works in other towns, to bring the locals and out of towners into our amazing town, but many times undiscovered jewel! We have 21 Active and Passive parks with Steppingstone Park on the Water with summer concerts from June-Sept some on Thursday eves and mostly on Sat & Sundays; as well as Ielpi (Grace Ave) Park also with superb concerts on tuesday Eves during the same period. You can have dinner at both venues and bring your bubbly too! The bottom line is, WE NEED ENTERTAINMENT AND PLACES FOR 35-60 YR OLDS TO COME AND CONGREGATE, BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS THE INTERNET KILLING IT AND KILLING RETAIL, BUT TEXTING IS THE ONLY FORM OF COMMUNICATION, IF, A BIG IF, WE CAN’T OFFER SOMETHING OF VALUE, FUN AND BEGIN GETTING PEOPLE TO COME OUT, ENJOY, TALK AND DANCE AND LISTEN TO MUSIC. THESE ARE THE VENUES THAT BAYSIDE, HUNTINGTON, ROCKVILLE CENTER, FOREST HILLS AND MANY OTHER TOWNS ARE PARLAYING INTO A PROFITABLE ENVIRONMENT. The other issues are real estate taxes that make it very difficult, plus the higher rents to make a profit. I blame a lot on Nassau County, Albany and in some instances the landlords, who can be quite greedy at times. Is it better to leave a space empty for 1,2,3 4, or even 5 yrs??? How much rent could have been received, if rents were lowered? Losing hundreds of thousands of dollars from potential tenants, makes no economic or business sense, whatsoever. The local, County and State governments TRULY NEED TO CUT THEIR EXPENDITURES AND PASS THIS DOWN TO HE LOCAL TOWNS; FOR MORE PEOPLE ARE LEAVING NY, THAN ARE ENTERING BECAUSE IT IS JUST TOO EXPENSIVE TO LIVE HERE ANYMORE. WE ALL HAVE TO DO OUR PART, BUT, AS IT HAS BEEN DOWN THROUGH HISTORY, MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL AND WILL DO US IN THE LONG RUN, IF WE WANT TO REPEAT PAST HISTORY, AS DID THE HUNS, ROMANS, GREEKS, EVEN THE ENGLISH, WHO HAD 13,000,000 SQ. MILES OF TERRITORY, NOW REDUCED TO STILL A GREAT COUNTRY, BUT MUCH LESS THAN WHAT IT USE TO BE AS THE DOMINANT EUROPEAN POWER WAY BACK WHEN. As a Long time Real Estate Broker, I WILL BE FOCUSING MORE ON BRINGING IN THE NECESSARY VENUES THAT I BELIEVE WILL WORK, IF THE VILLAGE AND COUNTY ARE ABLE TO SEE PAST SOME OF THE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND SPEED UP THE PROCESS, ESPECIALLY IN THE OPENING OF RESTAURANTS OR MUSIC TYPE VENUES. ONLY TIME WILL TELL. HOWEVER, I WILL PUSH AS HARD AS I CAN TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN AND I HOPE OTHER BROKERS WILL DUE THE SAME. THE SAYING HAS ALWAYS BEEN, “IF YOU KEEP DOING THE SAME THINGS, EXPECTING DIFFERENT RESULTS, YOU ARE INSANE” THAT IS WHERE GREAT NECK PLAZA IS AT THE MOMENT, NOT TO POINT ANY FINGERS AT ANYONE. IF THEY WANT MORE STORES TO BECOME EMPTY, THEN THEY AS WELL AS US IN REAL ESTATE, MUST IMMEDIATELY THINK “OUTSIDE THE BOX” AND CREATE A MORE POSITIVE AND CREATIVE ENVIRONMENT IN ATTRACTING THOSE THAT WOULD OPEN UP IN GREAT NECK; BUT THE MOOD FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS NOT BEEN THE MOST POSITIVE AND BAD NEWS TRAVELS AND THE PERCEPTIONS, ALTHOUGH NOT TOTALLY TRUE, BECOMES REALITY AND OUR REALTY IS VERY DIM, IF SOMETHING IS NOT DONE ASAP! IS ANYONE LISTENING TO ME????? I HOPE SOE FOR THE PLAZA’S SAKE AS WELL AS OUR TAX PAYERS, WHO WILL FOOT THE BILL, WHEN LESS TAXES COME IN BECAUSE LANDLORDS PETITION TO GRIEVE THEIR TAXES BECAUSE THEY SHOW THAT THE VALUES OF THEIR PROPERTIES DECREASED. MORE IMPORTANT, HOMEOWNERS, , CONDOS AND COOP OWNERS WILL ALSO SEE THEIR TAXES INCREASE TOO DUE TO DECREASE FUNDS COMING IN. LASTLY, OUR SCHOOLS BUDGETS WILL HAVE TO BE CUT OR INCREASES IN EVERYONE’S REAL ESTATE TAXES WILL AGAIN INCREASE TO MAKE UP THE SHORTFALL. WAKE UP, NOT ONLY THE PLAZA, BUT ALL VILLAGES WHO ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WITH EMPTY STORES. SOME TOWNS THROUGHOUT LONG ISLAND ARE BEING REJUVENATED, LINDENHURST, PATCHOGUE AND I SEE THE DIFFERENCE. WE DO NOT HAVE THEIR ISSUES, BUT THEY ARE DOING WHAT WE SHOULD DO, MORE ENTERTAINMENT IS PART OF THE KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF MANY VILLAGES, NOT THE OLD FASHION RETAIL AND TYPICAL STORES. DIAL PHONES AND CD’S ARE OUT, INTERNET IS IN; THE BATTLE MUST BEGIN WITH CUTTING EDGE IDEAS AND THOUGHTS AND IT MUST BE DONE NOW!