Trader Joe’s Will Anchor Bay Ridge’s Century Marketplace
The grocer will take space in a new 95,000-square-foot development, signaling potential foot traffic shifts for local 86th Street retailers.
Updated on Oct. 11, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Trader Joe's will open a new grocery store at the upcoming Century Marketplace in Bay Ridge, New York City. The project replaces the site previously occupied by the former Century 21 department store.
Why it matters
The development aims to revitalize the 86th Street corridor by introducing new food and retail options, potentially shifting local consumer traffic patterns. This transition marks the next phase of the property after it was sold for $47.5 million in 2025.
The Century Marketplace retail development spans 95,000 square feet at the former Century 21 location, which sold for $47.5 million in 2025. The project follows the closure of the long-standing department store in 2020.
The players
Trader Joe's
A national grocery chain known for its private-label strategy and high-foot-traffic store footprints.
MCB Real Estate
A commercial real estate investment firm specializing in urban retail development projects.
Osiris Ventures
A real estate development and investment firm co-purchasing the Century Marketplace site.
Kayla Santosuosso
A New York City Council Member who represents the district encompassing the Bay Ridge site.
The details
The project will feature a two-story building with an interior atrium facing 86th Street, designed to accommodate the new grocery anchor. This development follows a period of transition for the property after the Gindi family, who founded the site's original retailer in 1961, scrapped earlier plans for the parcel in 2024. A separate development project is concurrently moving forward on the 87th Street side of the former department store property.
Timeline
1961: Century 21 opened its original Bay Ridge store.
2020: The original Century 21 department store closed.
2024: The Gindi family cancelled prior redevelopment plans.
2025: Developers purchased the property for $47.5 million.
December 2025: The remaining Century 21 holdings were sold off for two distinct projects.
Market Landscape
The Century Marketplace development reflects a broader trend of repurposing vacant, large-format retail sites into modern grocery-anchored centers. It serves as the latest redevelopment milestone following the 2020 closure of the Century 21 Bay Ridge department store.
Local operators should prepare for increased foot traffic in the 86th Street area as the new anchor store prepares to open. Business owners near the site should assess how their current operations or marketing can leverage this rise in neighborhood shoppers.
The takeaway
Large-scale retail conversions offer high-impact opportunities for surrounding businesses to capture spilled-over consumer demand. Monitor local zoning and development announcements to align your business operations with planned changes in foot traffic density.
Further reading
For more updates on new retail additions across the area, see our coverage of Openings & Closings.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Brooklyn Paper.
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