Louis Molina, commissioner of the city’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), walked through a grand entrance on Centre Street to the David Dinkins Municipal Building, into a new and improved CityStore.
It’s an entrance to 1 Centre Street that was not previously used for the retail shop run by DCAS.
What You Need To Know
CityStore is a retail shop located at 1 Centre Street in Lower Manhattan
It features NYC-themed items, including apparel and other merchandise from various city agencies
The store is run by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, known as DCAS
“When you come into the CityStore now, it is wide open. It’s inviting, we have digital signage, we have a step and repeat in case individuals want to come in and take photos, and you are just hugged by all of the NYC merchandise,” Molina said.
There are potholders with health department grades on them, subway token cufflinks, t-shirts, mugs, refrigerator magnets, items for babies and kids too. Many of the city’s agencies are represented in some shape or form, like toy firetrucks and street sweepers.
“We have things here for people, we have things for pets, all merchandise with different logos from things in the city,” Molina said.
Molina, DCAS staff and elected officials cut the ribbon for the new store, which was originally established in 1981 as CityBooks.
It relocated to 1 Centre Street in 1996, where there is now a new look and feel for the retail shop. The commissioner says money from sales goes to the city’s general fund to help support citywide operations.
“When you think about what the CityStore used to look like and what it looks like today, it’s truly a reinvention,” Molina said.
The store also has a new mascot. It’s a pigeon named Muni, because pigeons are everywhere, right
The store also updated its website to go along with its new look. Check it out here.