Century 21 to reopen famed Wall Street discount store May 16

Century 21, the iconic discount department store that went belly-up and shuttered in 2020, will finally reopen its flagship Wall Street-area store this month, the retailer announced.

“We know you’ve been patiently waiting,” the store teased on Instagram, crowing “Your favorite red bag is coming back on May 16.”

The Gindi family, which founded the store at 22 Cortlandt St. 61 years ago, filed for bankruptcy in 2020 after a dispute with its insurance companies.

The family also shuttered a dozen other Century 21 locations as the brand expanded to Florida, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania — shocking bargain-seeking fashionistas.

The Gindis bought the business out of bankruptcy for $9 million just months after the filing and had hyped its impending return last year.

Century 21 inked a deal with hospitality company Legends, which operates retail and food venues at sports stadiums, including Yankee Stadium, to relaunch the department store.


Century 21 Dept Store, near Ground Zero.
Century 21 is reopening after a nearly three-year hiatus.
Robert Miller

Customers waiting to check out at Century 21.
The retailer has been an institution in New York City for more than six decades.
Robert Miller

Legends will handle technology, store operations, and logistics, including staffing, according to a WWD report.

The new Century 21 will be half the size of the original store at about 100,000 square feet, according to previous reports.