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America’s Most Popular Game Relaunched at Queens Center Mall Festival

Creatively Mapping Queens’ Diverse Icons

By Michael Perlman

It was history-in-the-making at Queens Center mall for one of America’s most popular board games of all time, Monopoly. A few hundred guests attended a festival marking the launch of “Monopoly Queens Edition” on October 5 from 12:30 PM to 4 PM. Undoubtedly, it was community spirit at its finest, between the festival and last winter’s public online nomination process of landmarks, distinctive buildings, restaurants, shops, and organizations, determining what made the ultimate Queens game’s final cut. At that time, this columnist conducted a poll through the 29,000-member group, Forest Hills, Rego Park, Kew Gardens – “Our Communities” and submitted the results to the coordinators.

Under a crisp blue and beaming skylight, a Monopoly themed stage was erected on the second-story, alongside merchandise kiosks and a “World’s Fare Café Avenue” food line, with bites from Howard Beach’s legendary New Park Pizza, Burmese Bites, and Applebee’s Bar & Grill. Guests were eager to purchase Monopoly Queens Edition, but in less than an hour, it was sold-out. Behind a Monopoly themed booth, Jay Defiance deejayed, energizing the crowd. There were giveaway items, a charity sale, and a photo booth, and creative decorations.

At first, Mr. Monopoly led a parade up the escalator and was accompanied by the exceptionally talented Fogo Azul NYC, a marching band that made staffers, shoppers, and event-goers feel as if they attended a carnival. Making the rounds on the second floor a few times, Mr. Monopoly gave a high-five to the youngest shoppers, as the drums set the energy for a successful event, and spectators were snapping away.

Then the much-anticipated launch took place. On stage, Top Trumps USA’s Monopoly manager Tim Barney, a New York, NY resident, introduced each mapped Queens-wide destination or organization with some unique facts, and Mr. Monopoly posed with guests who accepted the honor, enabling the feeling of an awards ceremony. Monopoly Queens’ winning entries are: AirSea Packing Logistics Hub, Astoria Animal Society, Astoria Park, Flushing’s Chinatown, Commonpoint Queens, Con Edison, Culture Lab LIC, Diversity Plaza, Eddie’s Sweet Shop, Festival of Cinema NYC alongside the historic Midway Theatre’s vertical beacon, Forest Hills Stadium (Queensmarked), Gantry Plaza, JFK Airport, LaGuardia Airport, LaGuardia Community College, the landmarked Louis Armstrong House Museum, MoMA PS1, Neir’s Tavern (Queensmarked), New Park Pizza, New York City Football Club, NYC Tourism + Conventions, QNS publications, the landmarked Queensboro Bridge, Queens Center, the landmarked Queens County Farm Museum, Queens Economic Development Corporation/Queens Tourism Council, Queens Museum, Queens Night Market, Ridgewood Savings Bank (landmarked sites in Forest Hills and Ridgewood), Rockaway Beach & Boardwalk, Silvercup Studios, Subway, Sunnyside Arch, The World’s Borough Bookshop, Top Trumps School Club, the landmarked Unisphere, and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Guest speakers included Queens Center Senior Manager Kelly Cefai, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz, and Assemblyman Steven Raga. “What’s special about today is that now you can buy, sell, and trade some of the most iconic locations from Astoria Park to the Unisphere, and even Neir’s Tavern, where I just left. They’re celebrating 195 years today,” said BP Richards. “We have always known that Queens is a hotspot for the arts, restaurants, and entertainment, and a rich history and vibrant culture. For all that is on this board, one thing that we can pride ourselves about is our diversity. There is no county more diverse than Queens county with 190 countries represented and 360 languages and dialects spoken on any given day.”

“Each organization, make sure you send a representative to pick up a really cool gift and take a photo with Mr. Monopoly,” said Tim Barney. He continued with “Let’s reveal,” and the months of nominations and wondering led to holding up a large board, and then introducing each property. “Queens is made up of a number of beautiful parks, so our first space is Astoria Park. Sitting on the edge of the East River and resting between the Triborough (RFK) Bridge and Hell Gate Bridge, the park offers shoreline sights and sounds that make the benches along its perimeter popular spots year-round. It’s known for its beautiful pool, the oldest and largest in the city.”

The Queens County Farm Museum is a 47-acre farm in Floral Park and Glen Oaks, and dates to 1697, making it a longest continuously farmed site in New York State. Barney explained, “This is another NYC landmark. The museum and its farm provide learning opportunities and creative conversations about biodiversity, nutrition, health and wellness, and preserving local history. This month, they have the Maize Maze and the Pumpkin Patch.” He also cited the weekend’s agricultural fair.

“Originally designed in the 1920s as the home of the U.S. Open, Forest Hills Stadium began booking concerts in the 1960s and went on to host the most culturally significant performances, including Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, The Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan,” said Barney. “Today it welcomes a new golden age of superstars with sellout performances by Drake, Dolly Parton, Mumford & Sons, Alabama Shakes, Ed Sheeran, and many more.”

The game features a close-up of an Eddie’s Sweet Shop sundae on the historic counter and a backdrop of the equally historic fridge and stained-glass window. “It’s old-school in all the best ways. This century-old soda fountain has been serving freshly homemade ice cream sundaes, malted, shakes, and egg creams from their snug corner shop on the bustling Metropolitan Avenue. It’s a sweet step back in time,” said Barney.

Another staple can be found at New Park Pizza at 156-71 Cross Bay Boulevard in Howard Beach. “Pizza is not only quintessentially Queens, but a most iconic thing in NYC. We wanted to feature one equally iconic spot and the people beside it. New Park Pizza has the same family proudly serving Queens, with the same great brick oven pizza since 1956.”

Barney referenced the Sunnyside Arch as iconic. “From the local BID, Sunnyside Shines, there are approximately 350 businesses within the district. Their mission is to invigorate and enrich the economic life of the neighborhood by creating a safe, welcoming, and dynamic commercial district.” On October 13, the 2024 Taste of Sunnyside will showcase the community’s diverse flavors, consisting of food and entertainment.

For Park Place, Barney pointed out that the people have spoken, and the Unisphere is the first to be represented. “The 120-foot tall Unisphere was built by the U.S. Steel Corporation for the 1964 – 1965 World’s Fair, and was meant to symbolize the dawn of the Space Age,” he said.

Magician/mentalist Gary Farrar performed a number of tricks, and children became part of the act on stage. That was followed by a classic round of Trivia with The Game Show Experience. Prizes were sponsored by JCPenney, Invicta, Kay Jewelers, Warby Parker, and Timberland. Also in the spotlight was the exquisite 1920s-era inspired Gatsby Dancers by Scarlett Entertainment.

Top Trumps USA, a division of Winning Moves International, embraces the timeless pleasures of playing games, and is home to the historic Monopoly. In last winter’s interview, Barney explained the Queens theme’s origin. “Each year, we examine many cities across the U.S. We seek places with history, culture, great sites, and great people. We love areas with a real sense of community. Queens has all of that and more. It’s ‘The World’s Borough’ afterall!”

The public nomination process garnered votes in the thousands. “It was the biggest response I’ve had to date. We very much wanted to make this an edition by and for the people, to truly capture the essence of Queens,” said Barney. Stepping behind the scenes, what may be unseen is the time dedicated toward selecting a city, and the deep dive with research to foster a unique identity. “There’s also the time invested by the design team to translate the spirit of the community into a visual medium,” he continued.

The historic Eddie’s Sweet Shop at 105-29 Metropolitan Avenue is selling Monopoly Queens Edition, so when a patron steps inside to purchase it, they can take advantage of a surprise promotion. Owner Vito Citrano and his wife Angelina Citrano explained, “We are so humbled by our customers from all over, who voted for us to be part of this legendary game, which audiences loved for several decades. We are thrilled that our borough has its own Monopoly edition, and we will be forever grateful that we are on the board! Since the event’s reveal, our customers, family, and friends are so happy to see Eddie’s Sweet Shop, along with many wonderful places that are a staple to Queens. We can’t wait to enjoy playing the game.” In fact, plans for a game night are already in the works at this largely intact, record-breaking 1920s ice cream parlor.

“I speak for everyone on the stadium team, when I say that we are thrilled and honored to be part of this historic moment,” said Forest Hills Stadium Concert Manager Mike Luba, who feels it is “really cool” to see the stadium among other iconic spots on the classic board. Afterall, this is America’s first tennis stadium (1923), which features world-class concerts. “To be recognized by the public in such a classic and timeless way is very rewarding for everyone involved. Much like how Monopoly is an iconic, classic part of American Culture, Forest Hills Stadium is an iconic, classic member of not only the Queens Community, but American history for the last century and hopefully for the next century.”

“I loved everything from the Fogo Azul NYC marching drummers to the New Park Pizza party at the end,” said Rob MacKay, deputy executive director of the Queens Economic Development Corporation, who also felt it was a privilege to be featured. “At one point, I looked out at the crowd, which gathered in front of the stage and on the higher floors, and people looked so happy. I really felt like there was something special in the air.” When asked if he feels that this achievement is history-in-the-making, he responded, “Without a doubt, but to make it a long-lasting feat, people need to buy a lot of boards. This will show that Queens is a great place to do business. I really hope we break record sales. It’s a fun game, so why not?”

“I commend Kelly Cefai and the entire team at Queens Center for putting together an event that was equally engaging and fun, with a stage presentation, magician, photo booth, catering, and giveaways. Everything ran very smoothly,” said Jayson Simba, executive director of Festival of Cinema NYC, an annual tradition at Forest Hills’ Midway Theatre and the Forest Hills Library. “This event gives the Queens community bragging rights, and another reason to be proud of living in the world’s greatest borough!”

Making our way to historic Neir’s Tavern at 87-48 78th Street in Woodhaven, Loycent Gordon, the owner and CEO, is very grateful for this honor, in addition to recently earning the Queensmark plaque. “Community is not just a word, but a process where everyone can lend their voice. That’s why I love the public nomination process by the Monopoly organizers. NYC’s oldest bar (1829) being located in Queens, is now forever etched in the history of America’s most iconic board game,” said Gordon.

He feels it is a testament to how far the destination came after many struggles. “We’ve gone from a NYC street named ‘Neir’s Tavern Way’ to being celebrated on the Monopoly board. This means ‘Neir’s Tavern Road to 200’ legacy now sits among an important part of an American legacy, and is attributed to the support of guests and our amazing tavern ambassadors.”

Since an achievement of this magnitude does not occur every day, he is proud to witness history. “My son and Queens families like mine can sit down and play the board game that represents the beautiful, diverse landscape we call Queens, ‘The World’s Borough,’ a microcosm of America.”

Guests made their way from far corners of Queens. Visual artist Susan Varo compared Mr. Monopoly and the parade of booming drums to attending a carnival. “The excited and awestruck faces, and anticipation of the large crowd to own this unique board game was no less than waiting to get on a ride at an amusement park,” she said.

She feels very happy that Queens, “the forgotten borough,” has been put on the map by being featured on a nostalgic board game. “It opens doors for other opportunities to have our borough acknowledged by giving it more exposure to be featured. It tells the world outside Manhattan there’s another borough looming to new heights on the horizon,” Varo continued.

Tree enthusiast and community volunteer Tara Levin of Rego Park took note of smiles on children’s faces. explained, “I was glad to see immigrant parents buying a redefined classic, ‘Monopoly Queens’ for their kids. Some parents work long hours to pay bills for basic needs, and by purchasing educational games, it shows that they also want to accept the American lifestyle.” As for the game’s selection, she loves Chinatown, Louis Armstrong House Museum, Ridgewood Savings Bank, and the Unisphere and Queens Museum in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, along with the hard-working Latino population.

Not only was the game sold-out within the first hour, but many shops carrying the game have already placed large reorders. “It’s a blessing to see it all come to fruition and be celebrated in the biggest way possible. I’m beyond grateful and excited. My projection is that we will need to reprint thousands within the month due to the going rate, and we’ve only just started,” said Barney.