Over 40 Businesses Now At Atlas Park
After a shaky beginning, the Shops At Atlas Park in Glendale is rebounding and now holds over 40 retailers, while it has attracted four more new businesses this year, the marketing manager said this week.
With City Council Member Elizabeth Crowley moving her district offices to the mall and new stores opening later this year, Atlas Park has become a hub of activity, according to Peter DeLucia.
New arrivals in 2014 included discount shoe retailer Payless, Landing Gear, ULTA and childrens apparel store Crazy 8, DeLucia said. Auntie Anne’s and Foot Locker locations are scheduled to open later this year, he added.
“(There’s) a lot more life here,” DeLuccia said. “There’s a lot of good events going on.”
Opened in 2006, a portion of the Atlas Terminals Industrial Park was converted into an open-air, upscale shopping and entertainment venue through a multi-million dollar effort.
Only three years after opening, however, the mall seemed to be on shaky ground with shoppers not flocking to stores and many retailers unable to pay their full rent. Atlas Park ultimately fell into foreclosure and a new buyer was sought.
Macerich purchased the mall in 2011 and has worked to improve the malls fortunes by adding newer, more middle-class stores and various events for area residents to enjoy.
Along with bringing in new stores, the Macerich ownership group also renovated the center green, which is now used to hold many events, especially in the summer months.
As marketing manager, DeLucia is responsible for making sure the mall looks inviting to customers. He also plans events, deals with the retailers and oversees the signage atop stores, he said.
“My role is to make Atlas Park look pretty,” he said. “To make it look nice.”
In addition to watching over the cosmetics at Atlas Park, DeLucia is heavily involved in the malls community outreach efforts.
“I think they really like the things that are going on at Atlas Park, all the new store openings. Good things are happening here,” he said.
And the surrounding neighborhoods play a vital role, he added.
“They are the lifeline for our tenants,” he said.
From July 15 through Aug. 31, the mall will host free events everyday, he noted.
A wide selection of events will be held this month, from live music, yoga and zumba for adults to Lego building, and magic and puppetry shows for kids.
“We try to hit something for everybody,” he said.
DeLucia wants to continue getting the right retail mix and attracting more retailers to central Queens, he said.
And five new stores opened in 2013, he noted.
DeLucia looks to “continue to provide a merchandising mix which will serve customers in our trade area while maintaining our reputation as the entertainment venue for our community,” he said.
