Boy Scouts move store out of Empire State Building

The National Council of the Boy Scouts of America is moving its Manhattan retail store out of the Empire State Building to a multi-level space three blocks north. The Boy Scouts are relocating the New York City Scout Shop where they sell camping gear, uniforms and smaller items like patches, to the 18-story office and retail building at 48 West 37th Street, between Fifth and Sixth avenues, data from CoStar Group shows. There, they will have 2,200 square feet on the ground floor, 2,200 square feet on the lower level, and 1,400 square feet of mezzanine space.

The rent for the lease, signed in March, was $14,000 per year, a source familiar with the deal said, although another person familiar with the transaction said that was incorrect, and provided an asking rent of $16,667 per month.

The Boy Scouts closed the store located on the fourth floor of the Empire State Building, at 350 Fifth Avenue, in January. At that time, the regional offices for the Boy Scouts, known as the Greater New York Councils, relocated to the 78th floor. The Greater New York Councils — including the store — have been in the building since the 1970s, David Tate, the CFO for the local councils, said.

Tate said he expected more sales in the new storefront since it will no longer be out of sight in an office building. The new store is expected to open July 1.

“Now they will have much [greater] foot traffic because the retail space is on the ground level,” he said.

Robert K. Futterman & Associates’ David Rosenberg, an executive vice president, and Andrew Stern, an associate, represented the Boy Scouts; while Adams & Company’s David Levy, a principal, and Joe Friedman, an associate director, represented the landlord.

Representatives from Futterman and Adams declined to comment on the transaction.