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If you ever had doubts about the long-term viability of Times Square, one look at the shops along 42nd Street should erase them.

While the city is reeling from the recession, the crossroads of the world are not.

"Times Square, somehow, seems to operate in a different zone from the rest of the city," said Times Square Alliance President Tim Thompkins.

But how has it been able to buck the trend? Thompkins says it offers a unique combination of value and entertainment.

"When the economy is bad, oftentimes domestic tourists in the tri-state area or the Northeast corridor say 'Maybe I won't do that big trip to Europe but come to New York.' They'll say 'I still want to do something special.' So they go and see a Broadway show," said Thompkins.

The Great White Way had its best year ever and Thompkins says hotels like the Marriott are at capacity. He also adds the area's new pedestrian space means people are hanging around and patronizing Times Square instead of motoring through it.

"I'd say about 40 to 50 percent of our business is Broadway. We do more business, actually, after eight o'clock because we don't have to be as careful with getting people out in time," said Becco Restaurant Sommelier Jeremy Ensey.

Ensey says the restaurant hasn't changed its prices in the 11 years he's been there -- something he says has customers coming back for more.

"We're very, very affordable. We make it up in volume, we are a very, very busy restaurant," said Ensey.

The same thing is happening around the corner in Hell's Kitchen as restaurants continue to weather the recession surprisingly well.

"It's very good, actually it's excellent," said Reaw Jantarutsamee of Yum Yum Restaurant.

"We're in a fantastic location, not only do we get the spillover from Times Square, we get the local workers in the area who don't want to deal with the tourists so they come this direction," said Joanne Spiegel of Mercury Bar.

With New Yorkers, and overall, Americans, less inclined to travel too far, Times Square and its attractions seem to be a popular draw, willing to discount in order to keep registers ringing and the recession at bay.