From John Roleke,
Your Guide to Queens, NY.
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The borough of Queens has many large malls and strip mall areas. There is also plenty of shopping along the main commercial thoroughfares. Here are a few of the biggest and best places to shop in Queens, NY.

Queens Center Mall

The Queens Center Mall in Elmhurst is the biggest mall in Queens, New York, and is one of the most successful malls in the nation. In 2004, remodeling more than doubled the number of stores at Queens Center. Details on this indoor, enclosed mall:

• Mall Profile - Queens Center Mall
• Main Stores: Bath and Body, Foot Locker, Gap, Baby Gap, Gap Kids, JCPenny, Macy's, Modell's, 9 West, Victoria's Secret, Sam Goody, Aeropostale, and many many more.
• Address: 90-15 Queens Blvd, Elmhurst, NY 11373
  Queens Blvd (north side) at Woodhaven Blvd, just off the L.I.E. (Map - Google)
• Phone: 718-592-3900
• Parking: There are two large indoor parking lots ($3 for the first hour) as well as outdoor lots adjacent to the mall. You may get lucky and find street parking, but don't count on it.
• Mass Transit: R, V, or G subways to Woodhaven Blvd. Bus, Q11, Q29, Q38, Q53, Q60, Q88, QM10 Express, QM11 Express, B58, or B59. See the Queens Center Mall profile for more transportation details.

Queens Place Mall

The Queens Place Mall in Elmhurst is the much smaller cousin of the Queens Center Mall, just a long block away on Queens Boulevard. Details on this indoor, enclosed mall:

• Main Stores: Best Buy, Target, Rockaway Bedding
• Food and Drink: Outback Steakhouse
• Address: 88-01 Queens Blvd (north side) and Woodhaven Blvd, just off the L.I.E., Elmhurst, NY, 11373 (Map - Google)
• Parking and Mass Transit: See above in Queens Center listing

Atlas Park Mall

The latest addition to shopping centers in Queens, and one of the best, is The Shops at Atlas Park in Glendale. Learn more about this interesting mall and it's outdoor "village square" layout in our profile and review.

• Profile: Atlas Park Mall
• Address: 8000 Cooper Ave, Glendale, NY (at 80th St) (Map - Google)

Bay Terrace

In Bayside, the Bay Terrace Mall is an outdoor strip mall, and small compared to the Queens Center Mall. It is convenient to the Cross Island Expressway. Though the parking lot can get congested, overall the shopping is above average.

• Main Stores: Gap, Ann Taylor, Waldbaums, Barnes and Noble, Bath and Body Works, Stride Rite, Victoria's Secret, Foot Locker, Claire's, Parade of Shoes, Chico's, Kay Bee Toys, Lane Bryant, Men's Warehouse, Motherhood Maternity, Peter Pan Games, Kinko's, and many more.
• Food and Drink: Applebee's, Outback Steakhouse, Quiznos' Subs, and more.
• Movies?: Yes
• Address: 26th Ave and Bell Blvd, Bayside, NY (Map - Google) - Main entrance on Bell Blvd.
• Parking: There is a large, free parking lot at the Mall's lower level and a smaller lot above on 26th Avenue. You will need to walk down a staircase to reach the main shopping area from the small lot.
• Mass Transit: Q13 to Bell Blvd and 23rd Ave. Q28 to 213th Pl and Bay Terrace Court.

College Point Shopping Area

Just north of Flushing, on 20th Avenue in College Point there are several strip malls next to one another. Although there is plenty of parking, traffic on 20th backups from exit 15 off the Whitestone Expressway (and even back to the Van Wyck) almost every weekend. If at all possible, drive the side streets (up from Flushing) to 20th Avenue, get there early, or go on a weekday. It is not too difficult to walk from one strip mall to the next, but most drive from lot to lot.

• Main Stores: TJ Maxx, Target, Old Navy, Modell's Sporting Goods, BJ's Wholesale Club, Waldbaums, and more.
• Food and Drink: Starbucks, McDonalds
• Movies?: No
• Address: 135-05 20th Ave, between 132nd St and Whitestone Expwy, College Point, NY (Map - Google)
• Parking: Parking is readily available in free lots
• Mass Transit: Q20A or Q76 to 20th Ave.

The Flushing Mall

This indoor mall in downtown Flushing, Queens, has lots of small shops, carrying everything from fashion and jewelry to art, toys, and cell phones. Plus there's a varied Asian food court and the offices of a couple community organizations. There are bargains to be found at the Flushing Mall, though the real appeal of the mall is convenience. With so many retailers in one location, it is easy to shop for small gifts and get a lot done in a short time. Although people from all over come to the mall, the main clientele are locals, especially Chinese, and the mall caters to their tastes and needs. The back area of the mall suffers from less business and a noxious second entrance.

• Stores: See the Flushing Mall website for a list of all stores.
• Food and Drink: Food court, mostly Chinese and Korean snacks, dumplings, and noodles.
• Movies?: No
• Address: 133-31 39th Ave, at Prince St, Flushing, NY (Map - Google)
• Phone: 718-762-9000
• Parking: Parking is available on the street, in a private lot across from the mall on 39th Avenue, and in a public lot on Prince Street.
• Mass Transit: The mall is walking distance from the 7 subway and LIRR in downtown Flushing. Buses in the downtown: 2, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 25, 28, 34, 44, 65, and 66.
• More: Shopping in Downtown Flushing

Metro Mall

Over in Middle Village, the Metro Mall can sometimes feel like the cemetery it faces, but it gets busy with easy subway access from the M line and bargain hunters stocking up at BJ's Wholesale Club. An odd layout contributes to an awkward shopping experience.

• Stores: BJ's Wholesale, Funtopia USA, Toys 'R Us, Levitz, Conway's
• Food and Drink: No
• Movies?: No
• Address: 6626 Metropolitan Ave, Middle Village, NY 11379 (Map - Google)
• Phone: 718-386-7436
• Parking: Plenty of spots on the roof
• Mass Transit: M subway to Metropolitan Ave

Douglaston Plaza Shopping Center

On a hillside overlooking the Cross Island Parkway, the Douglaston Mall is a small, outdoor mall, anchored by Macy's. This place was built for the car, and it's awkward to walk between stores. The best thing is the very easy access to the LIE and Cross Island.

• Stores: Macy's, Modell's, Waldbaum's, Toys R Us
• Food and Drink: Burger King, Starbucks
• Movies?: Yes
• Address: 242-02 61st Ave, Douglaston, NY (Map - Google)
• Phone: 718-225-4642
• Parking: Outdoor and covered lots
• Mass Transit: Q30