We typically associate malls with the suburbs, and show disdain towards their incongruous existence in city life. But the malls of Flushing have a significant cultural role of their own, offering a consumer culture that isn’t readily available in most areas of New York City, or the United States. Not only do they contain your typical mall fare – Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch – but some genuinely decent Asian supermarkets and a food court filled with delectable dim sum (far more edible than the typical food court fare.)
The New World Mall: 40-21 Main Street
The New World Mall opened in early 2011, and is a terrific example of the organized consumption that makes Flushing so enjoyable. The mall is divided neatly into 4 stories, each of which has a theme: restaurant, Asian shopping mall, large supermarket and food court.
Here is a blog’s ebullient review: http://iwantmorefood.com/2011/05/12/the-latest-flushing-mall-new-world-new-food-court/
Skyview Mall: 40-24 College Point Blvd
This is Queen’s largest mall – it opened in November 2010. It has less local color and flavor (instead leaning towards pristine American institutions like Best Buy and Chuck E. Cheese’s) but is popular because of its airy spaciousness – a quality that mall-lacking Manhattan can rarely claim.
More mall sights:
http://eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/berger2011/wp-content/blogs.dir/1863/files/future-of-flushing/skyview-mall.jpg
http://eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/berger2011/wp-content/blogs.dir/1863/files/future-of-flushing/new-world-mall.jpg
(and check out Queens Crossing in our interactive map!)
http://eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/berger2011/wp-content/blogs.dir/1863/files/future-of-flushing/skyview-mall.jpg
References:
http://queens.about.com/od/shopping/ss/Sky-View-Mall-In-Flushing.htm