Carrying Queens | 1| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |

Atlas Shoulders Boro’s Newest Retail

The shops at Atlas Park offer a new take on mall shopping. Tribune Photo By Ira Cohen

By Jeff Feinman

Over the years, the amount of retail opportunities in Queens has grown, as shoppers can stroll places like Jamaica Avenue, Austin Street, and the Queens Center Mall. One shopping area that has recently come along, however, may just do as its mythical name suggests and carry the Queens shopping scene on its back.

When completed, the Shops at Atlas Park will have 55 shops sitting on 12 acres of land, roughly 400,000 square feet. Some locations are already open for business and others are still in the process of setting up. So far, at least 12 shops have opened and by the fall, it is expected that at least 32 tenants will occupy the mall.

“It’s gotten off to a successful start,” said Shops at Atlas Park Development Director Damon Hemmerdinger. “We’re very happy with the start we’ve gotten off to.”

The $220 million shopping center consists of four retail buildings, and stands out from the rest of the neighborhood with its fantastic designs and open-air square set up.

There are many national brands that are making their Queens debut in Atlas Park, including Amish Market, Rosetta Wine, Chopin Chemist, Marmi, and J. Jill. There are also some shops that are allowing local business owners to shine. The clothing store Stella Gialla, for instance, is a fashion boutique started by two FIT grads that sells top clothing brands. Crazy for Animals, meanwhile, is a pet accessory store started by two Queens proprietors.

There are also plenty of places to eat after taking a lengthy shopping stroll, with eateries including California Pizza Kitchen, a Cold Stone Creamery, Amish Fine Food, and Pasticcio Restaurant.

Aside from the lengthy rows of shops, there are also some very interesting architectural and property designs in Atlas Park. The Green, which is considered the heart of Atlas Park, is a 2.3-acre lawn that holds activities for children. There is an interactive fountain through which the kiddies can run through and cool off during hot summer days, along with surrounding park benches.

Atlas Park visitors can frequently find some sort of activity taking place in The Green, whether it’s a festival or live entertainment. There are also a number of different walkways that allow people to travel among stores easily.

“We think that Atlas Park is a place that someone could bring their kids to, partly because of our amount of stores and restaurants, and partly because it reflects very well on the borough,” said Hemmerdinger, who added that The Green is a feature that he and the project’s developers are very proud of.

The Shops At Atlas Park is located at 80-00 Cooper Avenue, at the intersection of 80th Street and Cooper Avenue. To learn more go to www.theshopsatatlaspark.com.