As someone who grew up in the Midwest, there wasn’t always a ton of stuff to do for fun — so my friends and I would spend hours at the mall. There is just something about a mall that still feels sort of at home to me. I worked at a mall for four years while I was in undergrad. I was a holiday photographer at JC Penney Portrait Studio, then a sales specialist at Victoria’s Secret, and then a sales associate at Aldo Shoes.
And if there is one thing that you don’t see a lot of in NYC, it’s malls. Shopping in the city is a completely different experience. Instead of classic malls, there are whole neighborhoods dedicated to standalone stores, which are lined up side-by-side and often have 3-5 floors of goodies to browse. My favorite areas to go shopping are Soho, Herald Square, and sometimes Times Square. But when it comes to going to an actual mall, I haven’t really stepped foot in one since I lived in Syracuse (Destiny USA was an amazing mall btw). So, of course, I had to see what Hudson Yards was all about.
The Location
Hudson Yards is the largest private real estate development in the United States by square footage. It is located in the far west side of Manhattan, right off the water. It’s near the Javits Center, which is where I attended BeautyCon last year, so I was a little familiar with the area. It’s right off of the 7 train, so it’s fairly easy to get there.
The Vessel
One of the biggest draws to the new development is definitely The Vessel. The honeycomb-shaped public art installation is an architectural gem that is already driving tourists and New Yorkers alike to check out the location. Designed by Thomas Heatherwick, the landmark stands 150 feet tall.
The Shops
There are more than 100 shops and 25 restaurants located in Hudson Yards. The main anchor store is Neiman Marcus, which is the very first one to open in NYC. It’s big and beautiful and full of high-end designer from dreamy Louboutin’s to Versace blazers. Another gorgeous anchor store is Ten Forty Five. It features a collection of luxury boutique items and the window displays and merchandising are stunning. Other stores include Sephora, H&M, Zara, Cartier, Coach, Kate Spade, Kenzo, Dior, Fendi and more.
The Art
In addition to all of the cool stores and restaurants, there is also amazing art all over Hudson Yards. Aside from the Vessel, the walls of the mall feature sequins, mirrors, paper figures, and more visual and interactive art. There are also free galleries you can walk through. It really adds to the experience and that alone is a reason to go for a visit.
Last time I was there, they even had an Ashley Longshore exhibit on display.
What do you think of this retail destination?
