The Starbucks on 67th Street and Columbus Avenue that closed last year has a sign up for a new tenant, and it’s not a bank or a major multinational corporation. It’s a “natural wellness” store called Saje.
It’s not clear if they paid the full $140,550 monthly asking rent. The Starbucks closure caused high anxiety about the state of local retail, and even prompted Tony Danza to call the mayor.
Saje, which calls itself Canada’s “number one retailer in health and beauty,” was started by a husband and wife team in 1992. It announced its expansion to the U.S. says last year, opening its first shops in Los Angeles.
Saje was it will open the store on Columbus Avenue in the summer. It has items for all sorts of ailments of the body and mind, from a “gutzy soothing belly massage blend” for your aching midsection, to a “soothing oil blend” for your stressed-out brain.
They also sell a “pocket farmacy” with several kinds of treatments that you can literally stuff in your pocket.
Thanks to our ace tipster and photographer Tom for the info.
Just what the neighborhood needed! Another store selling overpriced… stuff… that somehow does… something…
I miss the mustard store.
Whatevs…
I give it six months, about the amount of time the mustard store lasted, though arguably more interesting than “wellness.” 🙂
good luck… that area is literally all ‘beauty’
Yeah, I think that is the point. That area is becoming a little beauty district, kinda like what’s going on with Bleecker Street these days (interesting article in the NYT this weekend). You think the UWS has an empty store front problem? read the article.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/31/fashion/bleecker-street-shopping-empty-storefronts.html
This Saje will be their flagship store in the US, it will lose money but its just a marketing thing. Sort of like the new Amazon store. They are not actually meant to ‘make’ money. Just buzz.
Anyway, I like Kiehl’s. That cucumber moisturizer…amazing! What more do you need?
Saje is also opening a store on Prince Street down in SoHo.
https://rew-online.com/2017/05/19/beauty-retailer-saje-natural-wellness-signs-lease-at-120-prince-street-in-soho/
God forbid something of actual use come to the neighborhood.
The Lincoln Square area is dead. Few restaurants, few cafes, no good coffee shops, just a couple of small grocery stores. Just banks, drugstores, and pointless knickknack stores. Like this one.
Sincere inquiry: What kinds of store(s), businesses, establishments would you find to be of use in that neighborhood?
As for myself, while I prefer to see storefronts occupied than vacant,
I still remember with muted outrage when 88 Noodle House was replaced by a pet jewelry boutique, which of course lasted six months.
If I am remembering correctly, the space has now morphed into a wild bird sanctuary. And not that I begrudge them the right to do what they do, but is that of actual use to the neighborhood?
The UWS has restaurants, banks, drugstores, grocery stores, and a new proliferation of bakeries, some wine stores, hardware stores, jewelers, gyms/fitness studios, beauty salons/manicurists….what else? I only patronize a limited number of establishments, most being of no use to me.
But back to the original query: what kind of businesses are lacking here?
Kate–a business paying anywhere near 140k a month is bad for the neighborhood in that it makes that kind of rent acceptable for the area, and keeps out exactly the kind of goods and services we need.
And, let me guess, you’re the decider of what’s “good” for the neighborhood?
Nathan – Kate didn’t say this wasn’t “good” for the neighborhood, a broad generality that might be subject to the response you posted.
Rather, she said it wasn’t “of actual use” to the neighborhood, a much more specific criticism. And I think a member of the neighborhood is qualified to express her opinion as to whether a new business is “of actual use” to her and the rest of the neighborhood.
You, as perhaps another member of the neighborhood, are certainly qualified to express your own opinion in disagreement. But don’t challenge one neighbor’s right to express an opinion of value simply because you don’t happen to agree with it.
Unless, of course, *you* get promoted to “decider” of what’s good for the neighborhood.
I’m the decider! 😉
You’re right about the misquote. Must have conflated two comments.
Still, my point is that complaining about what the neighborhood does or doesn’t need is silly. The market decides what the neighborhood does and doesn’t want by voting with their wallets. Apparently we didn’t need a Starbucks on that corner that badly.
No, let ME guess… YOU’RE the decider of what’s good for the neighborhood?
See – we can do the make fun of people for having opinions thing all day!
Umm, Nathan, this is NYC.
If you can’t handle neighbors with opinions you might want to move to Dubuque.
That’s an insult to Dubuque. I’ve been there and believe me, they have as many opinions as UWS’ers.
It’s not clear if they paid the full $140,550 monthly asking rent. Like not.
Saje, which calls itself Canada’s “number one retailer in health and beauty,”. They can afford whatever the rent is.
It announced its expansion to the U.S. says last year, opening its first shops in Los Angeles. So, they need all the attention they can get . This will be more of marketing spend than a rent cost.
Not sure there is a need. Blue Mercury is a few yards away, as is Thomas Drugs, GNC, Kiehls. Aesop… a lot of the things you will find at Saje you can likely find at one of these other places.
It’s all a simple process of evolution on the UWS. What do you think is the major component of that “gutzy soothing belly massage blend”? MUSTARD!!!
It’s not a “neighborhood” in the traditional sense. This is Lincoln Center and a major tourist destination. Century 21is nearby.
I’m sure all the tourist on line for the GMA shows across the street will be flocking here
How do all of our NIMBY posters who only want local businesses feel about a company from Canada!!! moving into the neighborhood?
JUST what the neighborhood needs. Really.
This is not a “surprising” tenant. It’s consistent with the proliferation of beauty supply stores opening in NYC. The same type of store is going into the old Food Emporium space at 90th and B’way.
ugh.
Great – a large store selling snake oil “for your stressed-out brain.”
What a bunch of placebo.
Kate’s right. The UWS needs more restaurants, cafes, and coffee bars (preferably affordable ones) that add LIFE to Columbus Ave, not deaden it… especially after 6pm. Also, the existing restaurants, cafes, and coffee bars are usually jam packed. Clearly, there’s high demand.
And if a company can’t do food/drink, then at least offer something unique. Example: I would love to see The Last Wound Up come back. Or the old store that used to be next to Museum Cafe on 77th (which is now Shake Shack) and occupied the space now inhabited by Cafe Frida). Anyone remember that?
Not that I like all these stupid stores, but for anyone who thinks “they” should open nother kind of store, why not do it yourself? A business is opened by someone who thinks it is viable.
What a bunch of placebo–you gotta copyright that.
Converting a space to a restaurant is really hard and takes a long time (ie. $$$$$$). There are a lot of open restaurant spaces, so it makes more sense to move there before converting. Still may have to wait a long time to get your alcohol permit, though.
I think you mean Mythology?
Gawd…listen to all of you. With all the crap facing our city/country/planet we’re spendinc time bickering about a wellness store opening. What a bunch of first world drivel.
Thank you Dick Lobo for taking the time from caring for starving children in Ethiopia to share your comments with us.
A shame that a Love store that has served the west side for decades is being replaced by the likes of this. Columbus ave the new West Side Mall of America
Sad
Their stuff is just a lot of woo mixed with skin-hostile essential oils. I’d never shop there!
There’s alot of money in “wellness” er “Snakeoil”…….. Just sayin’
Oops, I thought the rent was $14,055. We need to talk….
I can’t remember who said it the other day but we complain about all the empty storefronts and then we complain about the businesses that move in. It really is kind of crazy.
People need to just grasp the idea of change and deal with it…or not. Whatever. But remember life is short and living well is the best revenge. Don’t waste your energy on petty things you can’t control anyway.
Take that, Deepak Chopra!:)
” Oh, Canada !” Quebecois je ne comprends pas. Remember @ 1956 re UWS ? Were there more of ‘mom & pop” shops ? Does N.Y.C. have the highest sales tax in U.S.A. ?
Everyone comes to NYC and think the people already here are ALL rich. Bad enough the Natives are struggling to call this home. I’ve had people question me when I tell them I live and was born in NYC. Hope the business lasts.
Mustard please!
Um. Ok.
Does anyone know what’s happening at Sugar and Plumm? Paper is up on the windows and lights have been off for a few days.
This will not make it – LOL
I fell in love with saje during my trips to canada. They sell quality products that are well priced in my opinion. For instance, their face oil is $25 whcih is at least a half of the price of what other oils sell for at Sephora. They also have amazing essential oils and diffusers. I’m super excited to see them in New York. I’m sure they will do great. Give them a chance UWS! 🙂
Oh and another awesome spot coming to that area (or perhaps already there) is core power yoga. So the same audience of people who want these services and products and who can afford them. UWS is certainly not for poor. It’s a rich neighborhood these days
Sho is.
Would be a great location for Strip club and they could afford the rent. Would be a great addition to the upper west side. The rich guys in the Lincoln center area would actually have a place to unwind and relax.
they should never have closed McGlade’s
Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it. I found Saje on a cross country trip through Canada in 2008. There was a store around the corner from my hotel in Vancouver. The minute I walked in I was hooked. Ended up buying some mists and essential oils. I do not feel they are over-priced. After returning to the U.S. I often ordered from their website as there were no U.S. stores. My favorite scent, Yoga, was often out of stock and it cost a fortune to ship from
Canada but I love it so much I continued to order. So I am thrilled they are opening a shop so close to home. The soul needs nourishing as much as the body and their scents and other items are good for the soul. #happydance
You’re kidding. Right? Who would patronize a place like this? It’s obviously a joke.