March 30, 2007

Bag storage for $5 per-bag, per-day behind Macy's

UPDATE: Sorry, but this place has closed.

Not long after September 11, just about all public day lockers disappeared from New York City amid fears it would be an easy place to stash dangerous stuff. But that left travelers in the lurch, leading lots of them to tote their bags with them while trying to squeeze in a museum, show or shopping spree.

Following a tip on a TripAdvisor forum, NewYorkology paid a visit to J&S Rent-A-Locker, a new hole-in-the-wall temporary storage center located at 147 W. 35th St., map.

The place doesn't look pretty from the outside, or even as you walk as the front of the facility is storage space for street vendors. But if you walk to the back, you can check any bag, any size, for one day for $5. You'll get a receipt and that bag will stay behind the counter, guarded by an attendant.

The shop opened in December and is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. The space is still under construction, but security cameras are already working, according to the attendant on duty. On Thursday afternoon, several big backpacks and a couple suitcases were among the items left. They also store bikes and offer monthly self-storage lockers upstairs.

It's easy to find, located directly across from the Macy's loading docks. (It's also within easy walking distance of Penn Station, Madison Square Garden and subway stops galore: 1/2/3, B/D/F/V, N/R/Q/W, and A/C/E. The Port Authority bus terminal and Times Square aren't too far off either.)

But if you'd prefer to go with a brand you're more familiar with, NYC.com suggests a heavy tip to a hotel concierge may secure the deal. (Officially, most hotels say they won't hold baggage by someone who isn't a guest.)

March 30, 2007 10:18 AM in Arrivology, Cheap Stuff, Midtown

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