A new ‘Century’ of shopping in Queens

Rego Park just entered a new century of shopping.
Queens residents now have access to one of the most popular retail outlets as Century 21 opened a new, sprawling location at the Rego Park Mall on Wednesday, March 3.
Century 21 brings designer clothes at deep discounts – 45-60 percent off department store prices every day – to Queens in an effort to provide residents an affordable way to feel good about their appearance.
“We offer good service and designer brands at low prices, and in this economy, I think it is the perfect formula for success,” said Bruce D’Agata, Manager for Century 21 in Rego Park. “People still want to wear designer clothes, and here they can stretch the dollar a bit to do that.”
More than just savings and shopping, the store also brings approximately 500 jobs and philanthropic endeavors to the area. For the owners of Century 21, helping the community is a no-brainer.
Isaac Gindi, co-owner of Century 21, said that he and his brother Eddie are social entrepreneurs and will always carry on the community-first business model displayed by their father, Al.
“We are a family-owned company, and our father always taught us that when you make money, you need to give it back to the community,” said Isaac. “We just moved to the area so we are still getting to know the community, but giving back is always our major goal.”
Another goal of theirs is providing the diverse population of Queens with a shopping experience that will keep bringing them back. Century 21 offers clothing for men and women, as well as home goods and cosmetics.
“The demographics of this area are incredible,” said Eddie, Vice President of Century 21. “The array of different cultures, the amount of people, the foot traffic, the enthusiasm of the community; we want to give everybody the opportunity to buys designer fashions at a very good price.”
Century 21, which also has locations in Brooklyn, Long Island and Lower Manhattan, opened its new Queens location with the help of Vornado Realty Trust, owner of the shopping mall’s land.
Steven Roth, Chairman of the Board for Vornado, said that the quality of a land’s tenants matters just as much as the amount of money they are willing to lay down.
“You can have a great piece of land and a lot of money, but it will not work without a great tenant,” said Roth.
Borough President Helen Marshall, who was on hand for the ribbon cutting as well as to shop, said that the creation of jobs has never been more important than it is in today’s economy.
“It is great to finally see something here in what was an empty lot for a long time,” said Marshall. “We must continue to invest in Rego Park and Queens at large. Now where’s the shoe department?”