Belmont Park Village: New York’s Newest Shopping Destination

A first look at the 'value retail' destination—don’t mistake it for an outlet.

Belmont Park Village is New York’s newest shopping destination, but if you’re expecting an outlet experience with steep discounts, you might be disappointed.

Only a handful of stores are currently open at this value retail destination, including Thom Browne, René Caovilla, and Missoni, with banner names like Baccarat, Etro, Brunello Cucinelli, and Herno set to follow. 

The open-air shopping center sits adjacent to the Islanders' UBS Arena, Belmont Racetrack, and the newly opened Belmont casino, positioning itself as a luxury retail destination for visitors to the area.

For those anticipating a local alternative to Woodbury Commons deep-discount outlet shopping, Belmont Park Village might be disappointing. While many stores aren’t open yet, the early indications suggest that this isn’t the place for bargain hunting. Instead, you’re more likely to find past-season merchandise at relatively modest markdowns.

For example, the Missoni boutique carries collections that are two years old and discounted only 40%. Palm Angels was largely full-price, aside from a few older pieces marked down by 20%. Thom Browne’s markdowns hovered around 40%. The standout was René Caovilla, offering discounts starting at 60%, making it one of the few stores with noteworthy deals. (I’ll post pictures and contact information to Telegram, as they accept phone orders and ship merchandise.)

Overall, the savings don’t seem compelling enough to justify the extra tolls and travel time—especially when similar or better discounts can be found online. On a positive note, Belmont Park Village could become a pleasant spot for a leisurely lunch, with Ladurée and the vegan café Le Botaniste among the dining options.

The shopping center is part of The Bicester Collection, which operates luxury outlet destinations outside major European cities and in Shanghai. This is their first North American venture, and I can only imagine the pitch deck used to entice retailers—touting proximity to wealth hubs like the Five Towns, Forest Hills, and Hempstead, as well as the foot traffic from Belmont Racetrack, the UBS Arena, and the casino. With millions of annual visitors, the logic seems sound.

It’s probably too early to call, but if I’m planning an outlet shopping trip, I think I’ll stick with Woodbury Common for now.