7th Avenue Opens Long Island Showroom at Walt Whitman Shops

7th Avenue, the Los Angeles-based modular furniture brand, opened its first Long Island showroom at Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station. The location, inside a Simon Property Group mall, is the brand's second Simon partnership after a King of Prussia Mall opening earlier this year.

Billy Shaw, 7th Avenue's co-founder and CEO, said the brand had seen strong online demand from Long Island for years. The showroom lets customers test modular sofas, fabrics, and configurations in person before buying. The store is designed as an experiential space, not a traditional furniture showroom. European white oak flooring, custom travertine tables, and a neon sign set the tone. Visitors can bring pets, perform spill tests, and work with design consultants.

Walt Whitman Shops opened in 1962 as New York's first indoor mall. It draws from Huntington, Dix Hills, Woodbury, Syosset, Melville, and Northport. Simon Property Group owns and operates the property. The mall has been adding experiential tenants as department store anchors shrink. 7th Avenue fits that shift. The brand sells direct to consumers online and uses showrooms to drive conversion. It carries no inventory on site. Sofas are made to order and shipped from a central warehouse.

Josh Stinson, co-founder and COO, described the showroom as "aspirationally attainable." Customers can test the modular system, compare fabric options, and see how the sofa holds up to everyday wear. The company uses proprietary water-repellent, stain-resistant fabric that is PFAS-free. Frames come with a lifetime warranty.

The King of Prussia opening gave Simon a data point. If Walt Whitman performs similarly, the partnership could expand to more malls. 7th Avenue now operates more than 20 showrooms nationwide, with additional openings planned through summer and fall 2026. The brand is privately held and does not disclose revenue or foot traffic figures.

Simon Property Group has been leasing to digitally native brands that need physical space for product trials. Warby Parker, Allbirds, and Casper have followed similar paths. The risk is that these tenants pay lower rent per square foot than traditional anchors and may not have the same staying power. Simon's SPG stock page carries an Alpha Score of 67 out of 100, labeled Moderate. The score reflects a stable real estate portfolio with exposure to retail leasing trends.

For investors tracking the mall recovery, the 7th Avenue expansion is a small signal. The company said it plans additional Simon locations across the country. The next test will be whether the Walt Whitman showroom drives enough foot traffic and online sales to justify the space. Simon reports quarterly earnings in late July. Same-store sales data for the mall is not publicly broken out, analysts watch tenant announcements as a proxy for leasing momentum.

The broader stock market analysis context matters. Retail REITs have rallied this year on expectations that consumer spending will hold up. Simon shares are up roughly 12% year to date. The 7th Avenue deal is one of several recent lease signings that support the narrative of mall landlords filling space with non-traditional tenants. Whether those tenants generate the same rent per square foot as a department store is an open question.

7th Avenue's Long Island showroom is open for walk-ins and appointments. The brand offers delivery across the New York metro area, including Long Island, Westchester, and New York City. Customers can order online or in the store. The company did not disclose the lease terms or the size of the Walt Whitman space.