Americana Manhasset Shopping
Americana Manhasset is a luxury shopping complex located at Northern Blvd. & Searingtown Road in Manhasset on Long Island's north shore. The open-air shopping center has over sixty stores and spans 220,000 square feet. What started out in 1956 as a neighborhood shopping center comprised of a movie theater, supermarket, drugstore, department store, has become a world-class lifestyle and fashion destination of New York. The most famous and largest shopping center in the area is sometimes called the "Miracle Mile", and has been compared to California's Rodeo Drive and Manhattan's Fifth Avenue.
The complex was developed by Ferdinand Castagna, of the Gerace & Castagna masonry contracting firm which was founded in 1922, and Americana Manhasset has remained in the Castagna family ever since. In the 1980s his son, Frank Castagna took Americana Manhasset in a new direction to cater to the affluence and tastes of the Long Island Gold Coast community. The complex was redesigned by the master architect Peter Marino and marketed premium boutiques. Oheme Van Sweden designed the sites beautiful gardens surrounding the shops.
In the second half of the 1990s, many luxury brands established stores at Americana Manhasset, including: Burberry, Hermes, Giorgio Armani, Chanel, Prada, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Escada, and Donna Karan. Ever since, trendsetters have been traveling to Americana Manhasset to purchase the newest designer fashions. There are many excellent hotels in the Long Island area, but those who would prefer New York City accommodations can stay at a hotel less than 20 minutes away.
In 2003, Americana Manhasset underwent another architectural redesign and welcomed more high-end stores in an expansion project, among them: Gucci, Dior, Bottega Veneta, St. John, Brooks Brothers, Cartier, David Yurman, Anne Fontaine, Oscar de le Renta, Lacoste, Michael Kors, Van Cleef & Arpels, Leggiadro, Wolford, and Coach. Some of the stores are large enough to offer their entire global collections.
2006 was the 50th Anniversary of Americana Manhasset and since then the center continued to expand with stores such as: Etro, Intermix, Vilebrequin, Juicy Couture, Theory, Frette, Malandrino, Lulu Couture, London Jewelers, Ilori, and Plumm Cosmetics. With over sixty stores, serious shoppers should consider staying at an area hotel and splitting their shopping into two days.
Americana Manhasset is particularly busy during New York's Fashion Week. Americana Manhasset also hosts their own fashion week and other special events throughout the year. Preferred customers may be invited to some of the hottest fashion shows and most exclusive parties in the city. Personal shoppers can assist their clients with developing their wardrobes and gift giving for people with discriminating tastes.
Americana Manhasset's appeal extends beyond fashion, and has two excellent restaurants, Cipollini Trattoria & Bar and Toku Modern Asian Restaurant. There is also a new Apple store nearby, which is not part of Americana Manhasset.
Americana Manhasset is open seven days a weeks. Monday through Saturday from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (until 8:00 PM on Thursday) and on Sunday from 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM. Additional information is available on their website www.americanamanhasset.com