The great fro-yo bubble has popped. Two more frozen yogurt establishments on the Upper West Side have shut their doors, finally answering the question: Can Upper West Siders ever have too much frozen yogurt?
Yes!
Yapple, a choose-your-own flavor and toppings spot that opened in late 2012 on Broadway between 70th and 71st street, has closed its doors. Yapple also offered Screme frozen yogurt.
In addition, Frozen Peaks, a fro-yo spot on Broadway between 93rd and 94th, also shut down a few days ago. Frozen Peaks also allowed people to pump their own yogurt and was beloved by some for its twisty mixed flavors. Alas, it lasted only about a year. Thanks to Jamie for the tip.
We reported in October about two other spots closing.
The next boom will be waxing salons that do Brazilian.
Your prediction may be correct. The place where Ritz photo moved on Broadway (and became Cardinal Camera) is the soon to be home of the “European Wax Center.”
Bring back good old fashioned candy stores with fountains.
Yes!
Not surprised. These two places were terrible, especially Frozen Peaks.
As long as 16 Handles stays open I’m happy 🙂
More prosciutto and Plato’s Retreat, please.
There’s a new frozen yogurt place going in on Columbus across from Whole Foods, as well as a European Wax place.
Ya see! Smooth operators.
This is capitalism.
Messy, yes, but sure better then the alternatives.
Next on the boom and bust list: Juice Bars
What about reverse osmosis water shops?
Passe. It is all about reverse osmosis now
Well, I did not see this coming at all.
On one hand, I hate to see small businesses fail. Most of these businesses are small franchisees who have invested their savings in owning a store. On the other hand, 80% of all small businesses fail in the first 2 years (SBA statistic from the 1990’s, I doubt it’s changed much). It didn’t take a genius to see that there were too many of these shops around. Remember gyro shops with the meat in the window? Remember wrap sandwich franchises? Remember stores that sold only Belgian fries? Everything has it’s day and then fades.
THE OLD SUBWAY STORE ON W 72ND ST HAS BEEN RENTED
SAMBUCA HAS BEEN SOLD TO BE A BLUE RIBBON
Really? Blue Ribbon is taking over this space? Is there any talk about what they’re planning? Sushi, fried chicken…?
These guys had to be paying at least $5000 per month rent. Who knows how much they had to pay to convert the space. How can anyone think they could make a living and earn a profit when there were multiple fro yo joints within a few blocks of 96th and Broadway?! Poor business plan.
They were almost certainly paying far more than $5,000 a month for space on Broadway. Corner space bumps it even more.
And another one as of last night makes three: the fro yo place on 95th and Broadway (NW corner) has just closed, and with no sign/note. I can’t say I’m sad, because the prices weren’t very compelling, but I did go in once in a while, and I preferred it to cell phone store or worse. Speaking of shuttered places, what on earth is happening on Broadway between 95 and 96 on west side of the street? The former tanning salon and former Rite Aid have sat empty for over a year now, or possibly close to two years. Pathetic!
The monster starship the MTA landed in the Broadway mall between 95/96 completely separates and blocks the west side of Broadway from the more pediatrian-populated east side making the west side of Broadway undesirable as a retail location. Who is going to open a business that you can’t even see from across the street? Clearly, no one. The rent will have to be slashed to a fraction of what it once was for those properties to be attractive to anyone.
eh, that is BS. i doubt there is much if any difference in pedestrian traffic between west and east sides of bway between 95 and 96. McDonald’s on the West side does perfectly well.
you can “see” the stores perfectly well… nothing was blocking the FroYo shop on 95& Bway. i spent $s there… sad to see it go though prices were high.
the problems are most likely high commercial rents. We need commercial rent control!
why are you so concerned with super-profits for landlords? they would make reasonable profits under commercial rent control.
…pedestrian-populated…
The Curry Club on 108 street will open on 2/20. The owner informed me that they had the initial city inspection today.