Century 21 (department store)

Century 21 Department Stores LLC

Company type	Private
Industry	Retail (department stores)
Founded	1961 (1961)
Founder	Sonny Gindi, Ralph I Gindi, Al Gindi
Defunct	2020 (2020)
Fate	Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy; closed all locations by December 2020; flagship reopened in 2023
Headquarters	New York City , United States
Area served	Northeastern United States
Key people	Raymond Gindi (former COO)
Products	Department store goods

Century 21 Department Stores LLC is a U.S.-based department store chain with its main office located in New York City. Prior to its closure in 2020, the company operated 13 outlets across the northeastern United States. The flagship location near the World Trade Center resumed operations in 2023.

History

Century 21 was established in 1961 by Syrian Jewish businessmen Sonny Gindi, Ralph I Gindi, and Al Gindi, launching its first store at 472 86th Street in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Raymond Gindi, son of Al Gindi, held the position of chief operating officer.

The principal store situated at 22 Cortlandt Street in Lower Manhattan occupies the ground floors of a 34-story office building and features a Financier Patisserie café on its third level. The September 11 attacks severely affected this location; however, it underwent refurbishment and reopened within five months, standing as a testament to perseverance.

Starting in October 2014, Century 21 extended its footprint beyond the New York metro region with a new store on Market Street in Philadelphia. Subsequent expansions included outlets at Sawgrass Mills, Florida (2016), Cross County Center in Yonkers (2017), and temporary pop-up shops like Century 21 EDITION at Staten Island Mall (2018). Announcements for additional stores at Roosevelt Field Mall and Staten Island Mall were made between 2019 and early 2020.

Although plans were made in March 2016 to open a store at American Dream Meadowlands, this site never launched due to financial difficulties and was ultimately replaced by another retailer.

Confronted with mounting financial strain exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis and unsuccessful insurance claims, Century 21 filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on September 10, 2020, leading to the closure of all locations by December of that year.

The retailer declared intentions to resume business activities in early 2021. In 2022, it relinquished its original Bay Ridge store but confirmed the reopening of the Lower Manhattan flagship for spring 2023. By February 2023, Century 21 announced an April reopening for this flagship along with plans to launch a new Bay Ridge outlet plus additional stores both domestically and internationally. The flagship’s reopening was postponed until May 16, 2023.