Tag: Westfield World Trade Center

Categories
Living Travel

6 Destinations To Enjoy For Your Ultimate Day Off in Downtown Manhattan

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The Summer of 2016 may be behind us, but New Yorkers never have a shortage of fun things to see and do in Manhattan when the weather is cooperative. Presented by our friends at Expedia.com, here are six Downtown Manhattan spots to consider spending an off-day around:

1. Westfield World Trade Center

Opened over the summer, Westfield’s World Trade Center location is a one-of-a-kind shopping destination featuring many of your favorite stores. Seeking beauty products? There’s Sephora and Mac. Looking for the latest and greatest in technology? Try Apple or Bose. Need a new outfit? John Varvatos, Lacoste, Saks and COS are just a few of the designers stationed at Westfield. And that’s without mentioning the many wonderful dining options — like Choza Taqueria, Eataly or Wasabi — or the breath-taking Oculus.

2. Seaport District

South Street Seaport was a wonderful destination for decades until Hurricane Sandy damaged it. However, the Howard Hughes Corporation has helped revitalize this historic area, truly bringing something for everyone. Seaport Smorgasburg recently returned for its third season. Seaport Studios Design Market is an innovative retail installation at 19 Fulton Street. iPic Theaters modernizes the movie theater-going experience. Taste Of The Seaport returns on Oct. 15. The Annual Tree Lighting takes place on Nov. 29. There is no shortage of things to do around the Seaport District no matter the time of year.

3. Museum Of Jewish Heritage

One need not be religious — or Jewish, even — to appreciate the Museum of Jewish Heritage. Presenting centuries of international history, the museum regularly presents curated live events beyond its exhibits on life and culture. Those hungry from all of that learning will want to try the museum’s new restaurant LOX, as helmed by Chef David Teyf.

4. Classic Harbor Line

Known for its ticketed sightseeing New York City cruises, Classic Harbor Line offers premium sailing experiences around our island’s waters. The latest addition to the Classic Harbor fleet is the Schooner America 2.0, which was introduced in 2010 and is modeled after the iconic ship that won America’s Cup in 1854. All sorts of themed events are presented by Classic Harbor Line — including music and food-centric cruises — ensuring that year-round sailing is worthwhile for locals and visitors alike.

5. Stone Street Historic District

The buildings of the Stone Street Historic District became protected by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1996. Filled with wonderful bars and restaurants — Bavaria Bierhaus, Adrienne’s Pizzabar, and Stone Street Tavern being three examples — outdoor seating is encouraging by many of the establishments when weather permits. The narrow cobblestones also add to the charm of the area which will likely help you forget that you are on the often-noisy island of Manhattan.

6. Seaglass Carousel

A 2,575 square foot pavilion, the SeaGlass Carousel is a carousel like no other. Born through the genius of wxy architecture, this attraction combines art, architecture and music into a destination that will appeal to people of all ages. The 30 massive fiberglass fish on the SeaGlass Carousel were custom-made by Show Canada, mixing beautifully with color-changing LED light fixtures, providing a unique underwater atmosphere for all observers.

Categories
Business Fashion

Do Online Shoppers Miss Personalized Advice?

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With online shopping becoming more popular, it’s posing challenges for retailers to ensure consumers the same service and way to connect. While convenience is key, many shoppers still look for the same level of service online that they would get from in-store associates. Salesfloor, a retail technology platform, recently conducted a study to help retailers understand the gap between the in-store and online shopping experiences.

Over the summer, Downtown conducted a survey geared toward millennials about their thoughts on online shopping, and found that 60 percent of millennials prefer in-store shopping as opposed to e-commerce when it comes to service. 83 percent of those surveyed also believed it’s “necessary to try or test the product prior to purchasing.”

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According to Luxury Daily, Salesfloor “respondents were between the ages of 18 and 65 years of age, with male and female shoppers equally represented.” The survey found that consumers also preferred in-store shopping as opposed to the click-and-go routine of e-commerce, partly because of the in-store personalized assistance one can receive from sales associates.

Although some clothing websites offer a “live-chat” option with employees for assistance, “87 percent of shoppers sa[id] their in-store purchase decisions are influenced by store associates,” according to Salesfloor.

But because we live in a world of technology, some brands are beginning to merge online shopping with in-store qualities.

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Hugo Boss recently launched Boss On Demand in partnership with Uber and UberCentral, allowing clients to schedule an in-store appointment online where an Uber will pick them up and bring them to the store, where stylists and associates will assist in their shopping experience. The Hugo Boss location in the Westfield World Trade Center also offers delivery of clothing and other services.

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Photography by Romer Pedron for Saks Fifth Avenue

Saks Fifth Avenue is also expanding its e-commerce to better benefit its customers. Saks is now “offering [a service] that brings the retailer’s in-store experience directly to its online shoppers,” Luxury Daily reported back in March, where associates will be available through live-chat on their website 24/7. This allows employees to communicate with its consumers at any given moment, offering styling tips and curated products, to make up for the lack of personalization online.

At any clothing store, especially a high-end brand, consumers expect a certain level of assistance while shopping. When dealing with an associate who knows the store better than you do, their advice is valuable and not easily replaced by the key factors of online shopping such as convenience and accessibility. With the two great shopping centers Brookfield Place and Westfield home to some of Downtown’s favorite brands like Theory, COS and John Varvatos it will be interesting to see what the future shopping experience will look like – whether it be in-store or online. One thing is sure, shopping never goes out of style.

Categories
Business Events

More Upcoming Events Courtesy Of The Downtown Alliance

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The Downtown Alliance is a great resource for upcoming events to attend in our area. Here are some of the highlights presented in a recent newsletter of theirs:

  • Belly App Training at the Westfield WTC’s Apple Store: Oct. 6 at 4:00 PM – Belly can give your retail, restaurant, or hospitality business a customer-powered marketing solution. Learn how customers can earn and redeem points for rewards to give them a reason to return.
  • Touch Bistro App Training at the Westfield WTC’s Apple Store: Oct. 11 at 8:30 AM – TouchBistro is an iPad Point of Sale (POS) solution designed specifically for restaurants and other food and drink businesses. TouchBistro helps you improve staff and operation efficiencies, lower costs, and provide a better experience for your customers.
  • Tourism Roundtable at LMHQ – Nov. 1
  • China Ready Training with Attract China at LMHQ – Nov. 2

    In addition, iPic Theaters will be opening in the Seaport in early October. They are offering a one-year complimentary Sapphire membership as well as a free premium movie ticket. Visit https://www.ipictheaters.com/#/streetteam/DowntownNY to sign up for the offer.

    https://vimeo.com/145150272

    • Categories
    Fashion

    COS & Forever 21: Two Great New Stores Within Westfield World Trade Center

    COS / Photo by Eugene Gologursky

    COS / Photo by Eugene Gologursky
    COS / Photo by Eugene Gologursky

    Westfield World Trade Center had its grand opening on Tuesday, Aug. 16 with a 12:00 PM launch that included performances by the Harlem Boys Choir and the Broadway cast of School Of Rock. Two of its new stores are COS and Forever 21.

    The third U.S. location of COS, the store opened with its autumn/winter 2016 collection, as inspired by rethought functionality and everyday decadence. For women, classic forms have been reinvented and reworked to create an irregular and surprising tone. For men, emphasis is placed on the juxtaposition between a decadent yet modular layered look. Inspired by the intense colours found in the backdrop of Lynette Yiadom Boakye’s paintings, the palette is composed of dark navy, intense blue, ochre, burgundy and forest green. The modern-sleek designs of both Westfield World Trade Center and COS’ newest location remain aligned to the brand’s value of creating a relaxing and enjoyable shopping experience.

    COS / Photo by Eugene Gologursky
    COS / Photo by Eugene Gologursky

    Tactile materials in neutral tones, such as glass, concrete and wood have been used in the store to create a gallery like backdrop across 4,187 square feet, highlighting the clean lines of the COS menswear and womenswear collections. Marie Honda, Managing Director for COS says, “We are pleased to open our third store in New York City in the exciting Westfield World Trade Center. We have enjoyed getting to know our customers in New York and hope that they will enjoy the new setting in which to explore our store and collection.”

    Forever 21, one of the fastest and largest growing fashion retailers in the world, opened its fifth location in New York City at Westfield World Trade Center with a live DJ and a candy bar for guests to enjoy. The celebratory opening festivities will continue throughout the weekend including a Beauty Day featuring a NYX lip bar on today, Aug. 19, along with some surprises. The new space provides customers a wide selection of merchandise spread across 16,756 square feet.

    Forever 21 / Photo by Eugene Gologursky
    Forever 21 / Photo by Eugene Gologursky

    “We are happy to continue our expansion, bringing our fifth store to New York City at the Westfield World Trade Center,” said Linda Chang, Forever 21 Vice President of Merchandising. “We hope this new location will add convenience for both our new and existing customers in the area and provide them with a wide selection of on-trend merchandise at an exceptional value. In addition to Forever 21 apparel and accessories, this location will also feature ‘Brands We Love,’ a curated selection of emerging and established brands that complement our other collections. Given the nature of the New York consumer, World Trade Center is the perfect store to provide this wider range of clothing and brands catering to New York’s savvy shoppers.”

    Complementing Forever 21 apparel and accessories, the store will carry Forever 21 Men, Forever 21 Active, Contemporary collections, jewelry, cosmetics, and shoes. “Brands We Love” includes EPTM by Epitome, Members Only, Rare London, Reverse and more. The opening will bring Forever 21’s presence in the U.S. to more than 520 stores, while the brand counts more than 780 stores in 50 countries worldwide.

    Forever 21 / Photo by Eugene Gologursky
    Forever 21 / Photo by Eugene Gologursky

    Categories
    Events News

    Reminder: Westfield World Trade Center Mall Opens Today Aug. 16; Live Music To Be Featured

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    As a follow-up to last week’s exciting reveal that Westfield World Trade Center has its official opening today, Aug. 16, at 12:00 PM, more details are now out about today’s Family Day event.

    Today’s events inside the WTC Oculus will include performances from the Harlem Gospel Choir and the cast of the Broadway show School Of Rock.

    Congratulations again to Westfield on what promises to be one of Downtown Manhattan’s top destinations.

    Categories
    Culture Events Living

    GOGO THIS WEEK FOR DOWNTOWN: Monday, Aug. 15-Monday, Aug. 22

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    Photo: Courtesy of Pixabay.com

    Gogobot is an innovative planning tool that tailors recommendations for places to stay, eat and play to your specific tastes. It also allows you to share your great experiences with people who have the same interests as you; people in your “tribes.”

    Gogobot’s GoGo This Week feature empowers you to discover and take advantage of great events, openings and exhibits throughout the city each week. Visit the website or download the app for more GoGo This Week upcoming events.

    Here are some exciting events and sites to check out in downtown New York this week, courtesy of Gogobot:

     

    1. Innovative Bagels and Bialys
    Kossar’s Bagels and Bialys (Lower East Side)
    8:00 AM to 6:00 PM (daily)

    To celebrate national sandwich month, Kossar’s Bagels & Bialys is partnering with local businesses to create elaborate and very tasty New York style sandwiches. This Sunday wraps up the collaboration with Ivan Ramen, but this week you can bite into a Fung Tu‘s Smoked Chicken Sandwich, a garlic-chive-sesame pretzel, smoked chicken with Szechuan spices, avocado, lettuce, tomato and matchstick potatoes. The following week check out Justin Warner‘s Foie Gras Sandwich. Through Aug. 31.

     

    2. Weekends with Fellini
    IFC (West Village)
    Friday, Aug. 19 – Sunday, Aug. 21 at 11:00 AM

    As film and lovers and italophiles, we would not miss the rare opportunity to spend the weekend with Italian film boss, Mr. Fellini. This weekend the IFC will screen Roma as part of an 11-film retrospective running through Sept. 25. Tickets: $8

     

    3. Margarita March
    Parkside Lounge (Lower East Side)
    Saturday, Aug. 20 – Sunday, Aug. 21 from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM

    We doubt those taking part in the Margarita March will do any actual marching (the kind that would require  coordination and regular measured steps) as a ticket to this downtown bar hop entitles participants to 8 tequila drinks at 8 different bars. Tickets: $65

     

    4. Blues BBQ
    Hudson River Park, Pier 97 (Chelsea)
    Saturday, Aug. 20 at 2:00 PM

    Nothing goes better with a plate of smoky BBQ than side of the Blues. Get your fill of BBQ from the city’s finest BBQ spots (Arrogant Swine, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Fort Gansevoort BBQ and Mighty Quinn’s Barbecue) while listening to sweet sounds of Gaye and the Wild Rutz, Cash Box Kings, Bernard Allison and others. FREE!

     

    5. India Day Parade
    Madison Avenue East 38th-East 23rd
    Sunday, Aug. 21 from 12-6pm

    The India Day Parade in New York  is the largest parade formed by Indians abroad. A slew of cultural programs, performances and foods will represent the diversity of Indian cultures and language present in New York. FREE!

     

    6. Battle Of The Burger
    South Street Seaport (Financial District)
    Thursday, Aug. 18 from 5- 7pm or 8- 10pm

    Time Out New York’s Battle Of The Burger is a chance to taste 20 of the city’s best burgers (among them Black Tap, The Breslin, The Dutch and The Clocktower) and guzzle plenty of free Budweiser beer! Tickets: $50 (for ages 21+)

     

    7. New Shopping Center
    The Westfield World Trade Center (Financial District)
    Tuesday, Aug. 16 from 12-9pm (regular hours 10am-9pm)

    If you’re looking to escape the heat but not the opportunity to do some shopping and eat awesome food, then swing for the grand opening of Westfield World Trade Center. So far the center will house Apple, Aesop, Kusmi Tea, Links, Eataly and a host of other trendy businesses. “Shop. Eat. Drink. Play. All under one magnificent roof.”

     

    If you know of great events happening in your neck of the woods that might be a fit for a future GoGo This Week column, please send details about the event to events@gogobot.com

    – Courtesy of Gogobot

    Westfield: 4 World Trade Center from Silverstein Properties on Vimeo.