Orva Shoes, a popular Manhattan-based footwear retailer, is moving in adjacent to Carter’s Children (which is scheduled to open this month) right in the Hub, the retail heart of Melrose and the South Bronx — an area that sees over 250,000 people a day.
The company and self proclaimed “New York City’s largest shoe store” has been in business since 1948 and has 6 stores in Manhattan, including the popular location on the Upper East Side on 86th and Lexington Avenue, several in Midtown East and Herald Square as well as two in Harlem along 125th Street.
As we mentioned before, the face of The Hub is quickly changing with a healthy mix of retailers starting to cater to a wider economic demographic and Orva Shoes is the latest entry into the neighborhood.
Some of latest activity around The Hub in Melrose for the past couple of years have been the opening of such businesses as:
- Planet Fitness
- blink fitness
- Children’s Palace
- The Opera House Hotel (first luxury boutique hotel in The Bronx)
- Carter’s (opening this month)
- Crunch Fitness
- Aldi Market
- Umbrella Hotel (luxury boutique hotel opening September 2014)
- Boston Market (opening 2015 at Triangle Plaza)
- Metropolitan College of New York (opening 2015 at Triangle Plaza)
- My Wellness Solutions (High end homeopathic wellness center and spa owned by Bronx residents)
These are just but a few of the most recent stores which have opened in the area (or will) and all within the past 2 and a half years with the exception of My Wellness Solutions which has been around for four years.
Having economic diversity is excellent for any neighborhood but as always, it is important to keep room for the smaller mom and pop shops. Unfortunately, when the big boys come in, the rents tend to go up.
Given The Hub and the 149th Street Corridor’s prime location and accessibility to most large population centers of the Bronx and Manhattan, only time will tell how the story will play out. We’ve already seen what has happened in just over 2 years, what will happen in 2 more?
Can all these stores coexist without rents pricing out the little guy?
Exact opening date of Orva Shoes is not available as management is currently out of town until Monday but we’ll keep you posted as to their opening day.
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