Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Flushing BJ's is kinda crappy

"Hi QC,

You know what I find very crappy? It's the new BJs in Flushing under the SkyView Parc. No, the inside is nice. But it's crappy because people who drive have to pay a $3 (they call it a grand opening special) fee for parking regardless of whether or not the person buys stuff from BJs.

I walked there because I knew ahead of time about the $3 fee and wanted to see the inside and requested more info about the $3, which they said you have to pay if you are going to park in the garage to buy.

I have friends, who have never been there, that say maybe they can just park by the curb. But the entrance is a long block down with minimal or no parking on that block, which means a long haul to your car if you do find a spot by the curb. Also good luck finding a space on College Pt Blvd.

There is a pedestrian walkway which IMO is pointless, because it's BJs where people buy in bulk. Who is going to haul bulky stuff down a long block and couple more (unless you live in Skyview Parc)?

I wish I could've taken a picture but I forgot my camera. Anyways, I will probably go to the BJ's at 20th avenue near Whitestone instead of having to hand over 3 dollars for nothing. (I mean a meter for 1 hour costs only 75 cents.)

I wonder how long this BJ's will be in biz.

-Ben"

Ben, this parking scheme is nothing new. Take Atlas Park for example. Look how well it worked there.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's going to be the same thing I guess at Costco in Vornado's Rego Park Mall.

But Costco is superior to BJ's anyway and have struck a deal with Vornado to accomadate free parking.

Anonymous said...

Parking lots are a huge waste of public space... and surprise! they do cost money to maintain.

Anonymous said...

One has to question the logic of charging for parking in a shopping center that is largely vacant, I guess the developers want BJ's to leave soon, although I believe the retailer could push for concessions if they wanted to. I visited the Flushing BJ's this weekend and it was much less crowded than say the Middle Village or College Point locations, both of which offer free parking and are always crowded. This is in spite of mailing free trial membership coupons to nearly everyone in a 5-mile radius to visit the Flushing location.

As for REIT that owns Atlas Park, the owners there are working overtime to ensure 100% vacancy, as Stein Mart just closed and although Starbucks was on the list for closure, that location seems to be holding on in spite of inept management at the shopping center. But again, it's hard to justify the expense of parking to visit an empty shopping center. Here's a radical idea for Atlas Park and/or Rego Center: try luring a frequently-visited retailer like Aldi (which also owns Trader Joe's), Whole Foods, or God forbid, Ahold's Stop & Shop or A&P's Waldbaums/Pathmark. Because there's a surplus of crappy, overpriced supermarkets like C-Town or Associated Supermarkets around, but the number of real supermarket chains with decent prices is few and far between.

Anonymous said...

I visited this BJ and was surprise to find the $3 parking fee. Once I made the turn into the garage, there was not enough room to back up so I decide to pay and see how the new BJ was setup. In talking to the attendant, that fee is for the special grand opening. It is suppose to go up from there. Inside, it was not crowded like the Whitestone or Middle Village BJs. Most of the customers were not really shopping and just trying out the free sample setup in the aisles. The layout is similar to other stores. The selection is almost the same except for more asian food selection. Overall, the store is average and not really worth it with the parking fee when compared with other BJs. I will never go to this store again with the Whitestone store only another 5 minutes away.

FYI, good luck walking in this area since the road and sidewalk are uneven and hilly.

Ben said...

No, this is something new. You see, Altas Park is a shopping center MALL, just like Queens Mall which both requires you to pay for parking because god knows how long the shoppers will be there shopping since it has variety of shops.

For a mall, that's is fine. I see that in Newport Mall in NJ, and the newly Rego Center (Kohls, Century 21 near the Queens mall area) charges for parking which I recalled is 5 dollars for 5 hours or 2 dollars for 1 hour).

But to pay for parking to buy a food/groceries and for only 1 store and usually for like 1 hour? That doesn't make sense ESPECIALLY when the other BJ is 3 miles away ..or 5 minutes drive.

A few things they can do that might justify for this 3 dollars parking.

1) Charge only the customer who buy less than $100 worth of stuff. Anything over $100, customers doesn't have to pay parking with receipt as proof.

2) Keep the $3 parking intact (if they still want to). BUT make all the prices in this Flushing BJ should be $0.50 cheaper so that if customers buy in bulk, they save over $3, and therefore when they pay the $3 parking, it evens out or even cost a bit less than if customer drives to the one in 20Avenue.

3) If they are concern about people taking advantage of the parking space if they made it free.. well, have this requirement with a time stamp:

If customers buy over $100 and time is less than 2 hours, no parking fee.
else
If customers buy over $100 and time is over 2 hours, parking fee $3 applies and also for each hour over charge another $3.

This way you have make it into another garage in case people take advantage of this.

aa said...

hello

Anonymous said...

aa

Anonymous said...

Just go to the BJ's in Middle Village parking is free

Anonymous said...

Up to now a lot of people in flushing just went to BJ's in whitestone(target is there too). This new BJ's looks like a parking/traffic nightmare...just wait until the mets play and the U.S. Open kicks off!!! That area is already over crowded with traffic as it is...

Babs said...

I don't think there should be ANY charge for parking in malls.

Rsvlt Field doesn't charge - if and when it does - I'll shop in Manhattan and online exclusively.

Buddha said...

I agree 100% there should be free parking at all the shopping malls in Queens. If they want my business, then they have to offer me free parking. Why should I shop in Queens when I could go somewhere else to shop and get free parking.

Buddha said...

The Rego Center, a very long time ago, that same lot use to be Alexander's dept store. When I shopped there with my parents, we never paid for parking. Parking use to be free. But now people are getting greedy and think they can charge the customers a parking fee. JUST SAY NO.....

Anonymous said...

When you go to the big parking lot in Flushing you will have to pay also. What is the big deal of $3 for the whole day. There is no free parking in Downtown Flushing. If you go to Queens Center Mall, its $3.50 for every 2 or 3 hours. There are people who drive to Flushing and park there to connect to the 7 train to work everyday. If it is free then it is chaos just like the grand opening day, you cant even find a parking spot.

Anonymous said...

There are more stores coming to Flushing (Bed Bath & Beyond, ChuckE Cheese, Old Navy, Target, Bob's Discount Furniture, Staples, and Marshalls) and they will share those 1600 parking spots. Best Buy is already opened there on the second floor. So if the parking is free, there will be no parking spot left once you get there. Have you seen the traffic in the parking lot when the first day BJ's was opened and the parking was free? It was crazy crowded.

Anonymous said...

Skyview Center now offer free 2 hours parking until December 31, 2010

Anonymous said...

SkyView Center in Flushing now offers 2 hours free parking until December 31, 2010.

Unknown said...

I WORKED FOR THIS FLUSHING CRAP BJ'S LAST YEAR 2012 FOR 5 MONTHS I HAD TO QUIT, SMH THE MANAGEMENT THERE IS PERPETUALLY ANAL TO THE CORE. I HOPE THEY SHUT THAT BJ'S DOWN OH YEA ALMOST FORGOT THEY HAVE SOOO MUCH EXPIRED FOOD THERE IS NOT EVEN SAFE TO BUT YOGURT, OR MILK!!!!