11.17.23 - Retail leasing chugging along at Moynihan Train Hall
' The more than 600,000 daily commuters who travel through Moynihan Train Hall, which opened nearly two years ago as an expansion of Penn Station, are proving a key draw for retailers.
On Thursday, Nov. 16, Milan, Italy-based stationery brand Moleskine was set to open on the ground level of the train station. The company will market its signature products, such as leather-bound notebooks and planners, in 1,100 square feet of space. It will also have an arts studio that it will operate in partnership with the Department of Economic Development and Madison Square Park-based arts studio SoMad.
Giuseppe Rizzo, president of Moleskine North America, told Crain's that being able to target locals, commuters and tourists alike played a definite role in the company's decision to open at Moynihan.
"Globally, Moleskine's most successful store formats are in transit hubs that cater to professionals and tourists on the go," he said.
The stationery store also has a storefront in Grand Central Terminal.
Midtown-based real estate firm Vornado Realty Trust, which redeveloped the former Farley post office building into Moynihan Train Hall in tandem with Midtown-based The Related Cos., handles leasing at the property. Vornado says it has leased all 30 storefronts on the concourse level of the train station. Moynihan offers 120,000 square feet of retail space, with apparel brand Rains and skin care brand Malin + Goetz also on its tenant list.
Moynihan's food hall is home to The Irish Exit, a transit-friendly concept led by the hospitality group that manages The Dead Rabbit in downtown Manhattan. Japanese restaurant Yono Sushi and Mexican restaurant La Esquina are slated to open in the coming months, Vornado said. '