Every year, the Center for an Urban Future puts out a report on the growth of chain stores in New York City. The 2014 survey found a 2.8% increase overall compared with 2013. But on the Lower East Side, the organization reported, the number of chain locations remained constant at 47. The previous year, the LES and Chinatown added 10 stores operated by or franchised by national retailers.
Other neighborhoods have a lot more chain locations, including the Garment District (180) and the East Village (171). The East Village, however, actually lost 7 chain stores in the past year.
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