A long abandoned lot by The Apollo Theatre now has a brand new building and several key chain stores have open for business but some in Harlem are complaining that 125th Street has become too commercial. Our opinion is that boulevard was always meant to be a mainstream retail corridor like 14th Street is to downtown. Over a century ago multiple theaters, shops and restaurants lined almost every corner of the famous strip but in the past 50 years, half of Harlem's population moved elsewhere. As a result, buildings were abandoned but a few dollar stores, fast food chains, sneaker shops and affordable clothing emporiums remained.
There are a handful of local mom and pops on 125th Street but the reality is that the vast majority of business are comprised of proprietors setting up from elsewhere. Right now the population cycle is finally increasing again in Harlem and thus the need for a broad range of retail has come back. Whole Foods should finish up by next summer so some better retail will be arriving but it is unrealistic to think that all high end shops will one day establish themselves on the strip. This has not happened on 14th Street or 42nd Street and thus will definitely not be be the direction for 125th Street.
14th and 42nd streets are completely different and what 125th needs desperately is a mix of high and low retailers. There is no need for all high end retailers on east or west 42nd with a proximity to Madison and 5th Aves and 6th Ave above 42nd St. Same for 14th street which becomes a high end destination when you hit the Meat Packing district. Mom & pop shops are no longer viable on some parts of 125th and they can move to storefronts along Lenox, ACP and FDB or 135th street. I think that on 125th from 5th to Magic Johnson could be the prime strip for higher end retail.
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