Honestly, walking through The Shops at Atlas Park in Glendale lately feels a little like visiting a ghost of Christmas past. If you grew up in Queens or live anywhere near the 11385 zip code, you know exactly what I’m talking about. For years, the Forever 21 Atlas Mall location was the undisputed anchor of Saturday afternoon plans. It was the place where you’d grab a $12 "festival ready" top before catching a movie at the Regal across the way.
But things changed. Fast.
As of early 2026, the retail landscape in Glendale looks radically different than it did even eighteen months ago. If you’ve driven past Cooper Avenue recently hoping to score a last-minute outfit, you’ve probably noticed the lights are out for good. It wasn’t just a "downsizing" or a "rebrand." It was a full-scale exit.
What Actually Happened to Forever 21 at Atlas Park?
People kept asking: is it just moving? Is it under renovation? Nope.
The reality is that Forever 21 Atlas Mall officially shuttered its doors as part of a massive, nationwide liquidation event that shook the retail world in 2025. While the brand had survived a bankruptcy back in 2019, the "Chapter 22" (a second filing) in March 2025 was the final nail in the coffin for their U.S. brick-and-mortar footprint. By June 30, 2025, every single one of the 354 U.S. stores—including our Glendale spot—was wiped off the map.
It’s kinda wild when you think about the scale. We’re talking about a company that once had a peak revenue of nearly $4.4 billion.
Why did the Glendale store fail?
You can't blame the mall itself. Actually, Atlas Park has been doing okay. The real culprit was a "perfect storm" of bad timing and brutal competition:
- The Shein/Temu Effect: It’s hard to sell a $15 shirt when a kid can get a similar-looking one for $4 on an app while sitting in class. These "ultra-fast fashion" giants used a tax loophole called the de minimis exemption to ship goods directly from China without paying duties. Forever 21 just couldn't keep up with those margins.
- Store Size vs. Foot Traffic: The Atlas Park unit was huge. Maintaining a massive footprint in an open-air lifestyle center is expensive. When foot traffic started shifting toward "destination" experiences rather than just browsing racks, the math stopped working.
- The "Middle Ground" Trap: Retail is splitting into two worlds: luxury or extreme value. Brands like TJ Maxx (which is still thriving at Atlas Park) offer a "treasure hunt" experience that Forever 21 lost somewhere along the way.
The New Era: Ashkenazy and the Future of the Space
If you’re worried about the mall becoming a wasteland, don’t be. In August 2025, the developer Ben Ashkenazy and his firm, Ashkenazy Acquisition Corp., officially bought The Shops at Atlas Park for a reported $72 million. This was a huge deal. They didn't buy it to let it rot; they bought it because they see Queens as a "market with incredible density and diversity."
They aren't looking for another massive clothing store to fill the old Forever 21 Atlas Mall bones. The trend for 2026 is all about "lifestyle."
Expect to see that space—and others like it—transformed into things people actually show up for in person. We're talking high-end fitness clubs, "med-spas," and more sit-down dining options. Basically, things you can’t download from an app.
What the numbers tell us
The vacancy left by Forever 21 is actually being viewed by the new owners as an "operational upside." Because Atlas Park was 97% leased at the time of the sale, getting that big chunk of square footage back allows the new landlords to bring in fresher, more modern tenants at higher rental rates.
A Loss for Glendale? Or a Fresh Start?
For the local teenagers who used the Forever 21 Atlas Mall as a third space—a place to hang out that wasn't school or home—the loss is real. There’s a certain nostalgia tied to those fluorescent lights and the "everything is $5" clearance bins.
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But let’s be real: the store was struggling. The racks were often messy, and the "fast" in fast fashion started feeling a bit... tired.
Actionable Insights for Local Shoppers
If you’re still looking for that "mall fix" or wondering where to go now that F21 is gone, here’s the lay of the land for 2026:
- Hit the "Off-Price" Neighbors: TJ Maxx and HomeGoods at Atlas Park are actually expanding their focus. They’ve leaned heavily into the "viral finds" trend that’s dominating TikTok, making them the new go-to for Glendale residents.
- Check Out Queens Center Mall (with a Caveat): While Forever 21 closed there too back in 2023, that mall is leaning into "digitally native" brands—stores that started online but now want a physical presence.
- Watch the "Lifestyle" Upgrades: Keep an eye on the Cooper Ave entrance. The new management is expected to start infrastructure upgrades soon—think better outdoor seating, more "green space" events, and updated signage to make the mall feel less like a 2010 shopping center and more like a 2026 hangout.
The era of massive, sprawling fast-fashion warehouses is over. The Forever 21 Atlas Mall was a victim of a changing world, but its departure is clearing the way for something that actually fits how we live (and shop) today.
Next Steps for You:
If you have unused Forever 21 gift cards, check their website immediately, though most were required to be used by April 2025. For those looking for the latest tenant announcements at Atlas Park, the new management typically posts updates on their official directory or through local Glendale community boards. Keep an eye on the old storefront—the "Coming Soon" signs for the new lifestyle tenants should be going up any day now.