Thomas Rinaldi of NY Neon writes in to let us know that DVD Depot, an adult establishment on 8th Avenue and 45th Street, has closed. Its doors and windows have been stickered over with Thor Equities' "Retail Space Available" signage.
Thomas Rinaldi
Last year, as Crain's reported, Thor paid $12 million for the two-story building:
"The building's sale is a sign of the area's changing face from the seedy video shops and fast-food outlets of yesterday to Times Square's newer breed of trendy tenants. The current tenant in the space is DVD Depot, which deals in adult films and has been there for more than a decade. It is on a month-to-month lease and not expected to remain at the site."
Thor's rendering
Thor's rendering of what they'd like to see here is the usual dull storefront, ideal for a suburban shopping mall chain. In fact, Thor names many of those chains as selling points in the listing for the space:
"Across the street from the newly renovated Milford Plaza Hotel, and neighboring popular retailers American Apparel, American Eagle Outfitters, Forever 21, MAC, Oakley, Levi’s, Sunglass Hut, and more, and nearby Shake Shack, Chipotle, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Pinkberry, PieFace, Au Bon Pain, 5 Napkin Burger, Jamba Juice, as well as a multitude of restaurants well known in the Theater District, 725 Eighth Avenue is surrounded by only the most successful national and international retailers."
The newly renovated Milford Plaza--also bought by Thor--now has a glassy shopping arcade on its first floor, called "ROW NYC."
Thomas Rinaldi
As for the Depot, it wasn't a famous old-timer of 8th Avenue, but it held its ground and kept the avenue honest. And it got some good press.
Vice awarded the place three out of five chubbies, and Cruising Gays gave it a solid review: "Clean, newer, safe, attendants not too aggressive. Crowd: Very diverse, suits after work and regular guy types most of the time. Not too many trolls or hustlers."
I'm not sure how adult DVD stores stay in business at all these days considering what's available on the internet and video on demand, so this one isn't much of a surprise to me.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised they were able to stay around this long. Another small business pushed out for a chain. I guess it's just a matter of time before all these places get closed. (I'm thinking of the spots in Chelsea and around Penn Station) This is Times Square for Gods sake. Is nothing sacred? There is nothing here that tourists can't find at home. Why visit NY and spend all the money? This was a local businesses that served the community. This is a disgrace. I'm pretty sure these places pay the rent on time and they have a business that is recession free. Another reason why the new NY is a joke. Why put up with the rent and the nightmare subway and the bad weather? They've removed everything good and replaced it with crap. At least I can still drink at Rudys. I hope they own the building.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous:
ReplyDelete"There is nothing here that tourists can't find at home. Why visit NY and spend all the money?"
So they can go home and tell their friends that they bought it in NYC.
These are the same tourists who wait on line outside Abercrombie and Hollister on 5th Avenue to purchase merchandise they can get cheaper at the same store in nearly any mall in America. Imagine waiting on line to get into a store!
And yes, let's pray that Rudy's isn't going anywhere!
When I went to college to a small town in upstate NY, I often found myself going back to the city, taking the bus back to Port Authority, whenever possible, even just for the day, and walk around just to see places like Playland, Show World, DVD Depot, etc. and sometimes go in and just browse, to feel something, something that being in a small town could never provide. And now that I'm back, walking around Times Square, brings back that feeling of being in a small town.
ReplyDelete"It was not the feeling of completeness I so needed, but the feeling of not being empty." ― Jonathan Safran Foer
Now, everything in NYC/Times Square is not illuminated, but just another clean-well-lighted place.
Businesses like these are still well represented in the other boroughs. You could do a tour on Third under the BQE.
ReplyDeletethe idiots who stand in line for a mall store are not the same people who go to musuems. NY has some good ones, its worth visiting the city. last time i was there i went to the china institute. sorry i missed others. on another trip i want to the whitney, there was a tour group (the free night), they looked like college students. shopping in NY is a nightmare. best stay away from commerical areas. unfortuntly so much of the world has these same gross faceless chains, the same idiots lined up yapping on cells in every language. there! now i said it & i feel old.
ReplyDelete