Forever 21

When my sister was visiting here in June we walked through Times Square. I pointed up at Forever 21 and said "there goes the neighborhood". While Times Square probably has the most chain restaurants and chain stores in the city, the newest entrants have been less than exciting, American Eagle and now Forever 21.

I am a firm believer that store in Times Square should be over the top or highly specialized. For example:

Toys R Us has a ferris wheel inside

M&M's store where you can buy all one color or a million different colors

MTV store offers jersey shore bobble heads

Well even though you can find Forever 21 in your local mall, they did this store right. Reportedly 90,000 square feet of shopping space, this place is HUGE. The first step in was a little overwhelming. They created a more open space and white atmosphere making the place look a lot bigger than the Virgin Megastore it replaced (as well as actually being a bit bigger). It also appears a bit more high classed then the stores I have been in before, with special uniquely decorated sections for each of their lines of clothing.

With four floors of mostly women's apparel (I think I spotted a corner devoted to men) the place could easily occupy a chunk of time. I went in with a friend and we immediately lost each other. After an hour and two trips to the dressing room I left with three shirts.

But I couldn't find her... I texted and called, and finally decided to leave (It was time to get out!).

A short while later I received a text that she was still inside and a text again almost two hours later that she was headed to the check out line... this place is huge!

Forever 21 taxi on the bottom floor

Side note: As I was walking back through Times Square (dodging people left and right) a guy in front of me dropped a wad of cash. I pick it up and notice that the outside bill was a $50... So I look back up and the guy is halfway down the block... moving and a swift pace. I was still in my heels from work, but I started dodging in and out to grab him. Finally I decided I was going to have to run or miss him in the next traffic light. After sprinting a few steps I catch him. He was thankful and flustered (but did not offer me a cash reward). He was also Australian and asked me if I was a "local" ha, hmm... I said uh yeah. He wanted to know how far he was from Madison Square Garden, so I guess he was late for something. I told him 10 more blocks and off he went half running down the street.