Our Great Neck is a unique, affluent suburb with a highly educated, multicultural population. We’re close to NYC, with a walkable downtown. Cue the sad trombone: We also suffer from underutilized retail corridors post-COVID, and many among us have major FOMO (fear of missing out) of other towns, not our own.
Proudly Great Neck: “MGNPA”
Destination: Great Neck was formed in 2021 as a grassroots response to the COVID-19 pandemic and our town’s steady loss of marquis retailers since the 2000s, culminating in the loss of the Best Market supermarket.
DGN’s objective from day one was to share ownership and revitalize our town’s strengths, and yes. Our efforts have been met with modest success, but clearly, we need more engagement by residents and business owners to make our movement community-led with optimal outcomes. Shameless plug: Follow us @greatneckbiz
Our drumbeat: We need to “make Great Neck proud again.” For locals to declare, “This is where I live, shop, and hang out.” We are a town of many immigrants, and many of us are truly living the “American Dream”. Given our film, literary, and immigrant history, we could position Great Neck as “The Cultural Capital of the Gold Coast.” Imagine the highlight reel!
Mojo, lost. Problem, defined.
So, how do we (operative word) reignite an emotional connection, cultural relevance, and more foot traffic in Great Neck? More specifically, in Great Neck Plaza, which non-locals view as our town’s flagship? By celebrating community identity, activating public spaces, curating purpose-driven experiences, and offering a soupçon of an upscale, luxury lifestyle. Frankly, it’s what we deserve and part of our collective DNA.
A unique nix
Most of us agree that Great Neck needs a better mix of brands, shopping, retail, and franchises. Our town should aim to create a culturally inclusive destination that meets our everyday, albeit diverse, needs while offering unique experiences. Many agree that in Great Neck Plaza, we have (too many) lash places, (too many) nail salons, and beauty salons galore.
We have a plethora of gyms and fitness centers, medical and wellness clinics, pharmacies, boutique dental and dermatology practices, physical therapy, and medspa hybrids.
What we need more of are fast-casual ethnic eateries (not Asian or kosher) and maybe more chef-owned small chains. We need a fro-yo shop. How about some artisanal ice cream? Van Leeuwen, anyone? What about spaces that offer cooking classes, tastings, or social experiences, not purely transactional retail? But first, let’s start with a few stated objectives.
- Redefine the public image of Great Neck Plaza
We need façade improvement incentives to attract prestige brands. We simply must make GN Plaza more visually and emotionally vibrant. We need a major face-lift in neighborhood beautification. We’re talking deep plane, not a mini-beauty shot. But sure, start with paint, color, bells, and whistles. We need open-air seating, better lighting, and parklets to invite foot traffic along Middle Neck Road, our main commercial spine.
- Invest in visible, youth-forward public art
We must make Great Neck Instagrammable and feel owned by Gen Z, and millennials, too. Sidewalk art and installations, including collaborations with our local high schools and colleges on art, fashion shows, and design i.e. Gold Coast Arts Center, “Downtown Art Walk” that filled empty storefronts with art exhibitions.
Recently, Destination: Great Neck promoted the commissioning of “Instagram-worthy” murals on the sides of buildings (Maple Drive, Elm Street, Gussack Plaza) that celebrate our local and international culture, to put our town back on the map. Some benevolent property owners have already stepped forward and are ready to start the arduous village “sign” permit process for this initiative.
- Experiential shopping experiences
We must better reflect our community’s identity through our retail offerings. We already have ethnically relevant, owner-operated businesses, mainly Persian, Asian, and Kosher restaurants and cafés.
What if we launched a rotating storefront pop-up program from local artisans, chefs, and startups with shared retail space or seasonal kiosks? In 2024, Destination: Great Neck hosted a “Taste of Great Neck” at The Mariner Estate, to great success. In May 2025, we hosted an influencer chef event, which drew great crowds at a local eatery.
We need more innovative “bazaar”-style events that mix different retailers in one space. It’s great fun for shoppers and reduces the risk of overhead for merchants. We can incentivize short-term licenses, maybe with tax breaks or low-fee leases—a true win-win.
- The world is a stage.
We should turn our downtown into a stage for community life and schedule regular culturally themed events. We could install outdoor activations, street furniture and outdoor art: open mic nights, chess tables, public pianos, storytelling benches. In doing so, we could make it impossible to ignore the energy of our town, with weekly evening events, celebrations, music series, book readings, and poetry slams.
Currently, we have Promenade, hosted by Great Neck Plaza, and some seasonal festivals throughout the peninsula (Harvest Fest in the Village of Great Neck, weekly Farmers Markets run by Great Neck Park District). We need more winter markets with local artisans, summer sidewalk nights, and fall film screenings with food trucks. Karaoke, music in the streets, and a much-needed vibe in our town would be great. More cowbell, if you please.
- Digital engagement + loyalty
We must drive repeat visits and online buzz to our shores. Push and promote our offerings with more in-store QR codes and window signage. Launch #MyGreatNeck: a social media campaign for residents to share stories and photos of the town. Highlight our stories in print media and at events — creating local pride content.
But re-instilling hometown pride in Great Neck—especially after the decline of our once (very) vibrant retail mix requires more than new stores and marketing strategies.
We need a narrative reset and a place-making strategy that reconnects our residents to our downtown emotionally, culturally, and economically. We must traverse from “We have stores” to “This place reflects us” and curate culturally resonant retail.
Somehow, our people must take the town back. Pride comes from seeing yourself in a place and feeling like that place is becoming better because of you. Great Neck already has the history, diversity, and capital—(in spades!) We just need to reconnect those dots with intention. There is no try. There is only do.
