New Forever 21 store attracts seven times more daily visitors than Statue of Liberty

Getty Images
Getty Images

Last Friday a gargantuan new Forever 21 store opened in New York City's Times Square. They took over the famous Virgin Megastore spot which over is 90,000 square feet, four floors, and now has 121 dressing rooms. I feel dizzy just thinking about it, which is why I haven't attempted to enter the store yet, despite admiring it from afar and dreaming about the endless racks of affordable trendy items that may or may not fall apart after several washes.

Another New York City attraction I've yet to visit? The Statue of Liberty. I've gone past it on several ferry boat rides, and once looked down upon it from atop the World Trade Center, but I've never actually gone inside. As someone who has lived in New York for over a decade, I assure you it is high on my to-do list, but the thought of sweating it out amongst hoards of camera-crazed tourists deters me every time I contemplate a visit.

You may be wondering why I've made such a comparison. Well, you see, the Statue of Liberty had 14,000 daily visitors last July when they reopened the crown, but the new Forever 21 store anticipates a whopping 100,000 visitors a day. That's over seven times more people walking through. So while a pair of jeggings may cost less than the $12 ferry boat ride to Ellis Island, I think my next New York adventure will be spent visiting the far less populated (and just perhaps more culturally significant) Lady Liberty. [WSJ]