Macy's Has recently announced that their store located at 2 Veterans Memorial Hwy in Commack, NY will be closing this summer with liquidation sales starting in May. According to Newsday, over 100 Long Islanders work at the Commack Macy's and some could lose their jobs if the store closes. Macy's Inc. has had a presence at this location for nearly 40 years, first as a Stern's department store and, for the last 19 years, as a Macy's. A spokeswoman for Macy's told Newsday that the Commack Macy's will close this summer because the lease is being terminated by the landlord, Commack Shopping Center Associates. Commack Shopping Center Associates plans to demolish the Macy's building, which has stood there for almost 60 years, and replace it with a BJ's Wholesale Club. Newsday first reported the landlord was trying to force Macy's out in favor of BJ's back in September of 2019. At that time, Macy's said they had an active lease and they wanted to keep the location open but now, they are being forced out by Commack Shopping Center Associates' greediness.

BJ's already has a location only 5 miles away in Deer Park and there is a Costco in Commack only 2 miles away from the Macy's site. With the closure of this Macy's, Commack residents would have to travel up to 12 miles away to the nearest Macy's at The Walt Whitman Mall in Huntington Station. As a frequent shopper of the Commack Macy's and other stores in the shopping center, I know just how bad the traffic there is now. With big-box retailers like Target, Burlington, Michael's, Hobby Lobby, and a new Whole Foods located right next to Macy's, the area is already very congested. The shopping center's location in the middle of the busy intersections of Jericho Turnpike, Veterans Memorial Hwy, Commack Rd, and the Sunken Meadow Parkway creates more traffic chaos and a BJ's here would cause an even bigger traffic nightmare for locals.

Commack Shopping Center Associates is currently seeking approval from the Town of Smithtown Board of Zoning Appeals for variances related to the redevelopment of the Macy's site to BJ's including reducing landscaping and parking requirements as well as increasing the building's height. If the variances are granted, they would then still need to get approval from the Town of Smithtown Board of Planning and the Town Board before they can begin redevelopment.

The Commack Macy's is a convenient location that many Long Islanders shop at. Show your support for keeping this Macy's open and your opposition of Commack Shopping Center Associates' greediness by signing and sharing this petition. You can also show your support by speaking against the redevelopment of Macy's to BJ's at the Smithtown Board meetings. Together, with your help, we can continue to keep Macy's a staple of the Commack community for a long time to come.