Cardomat, a card and gifts store on Broadway between 112th and 113th street, is closing its doors after 20 years. The store is selling everything for 50% off and told our tipster Nancy that they’ll stay open until they clear the merchandise.
The store got a lucky break shortly after it opened in 1993 as the show Seinfeld got hot: Cardomat is located just two doors down from Tom’s Diner, whose facade was used as the outside of the diner in Seinfeld. Tourists flocked to the spot, and would often stop in at the quirky card store while they were visiting. Cardomat even sold Tom’s Restaurant branded goods, like this tote bag.
But competition began to heat up as the area around Columbia University became more upscale, and Cardomat has struggled.
“For a couple of years, we were the only non-traditional card store in the immediate area. Then, other shops opened that might not have carried the same lines as us, but enough competitive categories that our share of the ‘pie’ got smaller,” owner Rosalie Manning told Greetings magazine in 2011.
Across the street, the toy store with cards in the back had an advantage that was quite amusing: they simply did not have a loudly screaming sign that scolded customers about not touching anything on display! Well, you could open the cards, I think. I rarely did, for fear of that sign from Hell.
Yes, I live just a couple blocks away and rarely went there, in part because there was definitely a “do not touch, we have our eye on you” vibe.
And yet…I will miss this shop. They had a great card selection. Checked out the sale yesterday – will wait for more off…cocktail napkins at $6 for 20, even at 50% off, is too much!!
MMMMM…NICE FRONTAGE…WOULD MAKE AN EXCELLENT STARBUCKS
PLEASE COME BACK I LOVED YOU STORE