It’s been a rough week for quaint cafes, but burger and bicycling enthusiasts have a few things to cheer about. Check out some Upper West Side openings and closings below.
Sasha’s Coffee at 711 Amsterdam Avenue, between 94th and 95th streets, has closed. The quirky little shop was connected to a children’s painting and crafts studio next door. Thomas DeVito says the cafe was his favorite coffee spot in the neighborhood, and he’s ot sure why it closed. “[Owner] Alex was working on patenting some new, superior coffee making gizmo,”
Lincoln Cafe and Breadsoul on Broadway between 62nd and 63rd street both closed last Thursday quite suddenly, Mark tells us. “Windows covered with brown paper with a hand-written “We’re Closed” sign taped to window. I suspect the workers were unaware until end of shifts Wednesday… judging by their happy and always wonderful service on Wed. What a shame!” (At right, an image of Breadsoul when it was open.)
A newsstand right next door to the cafes also closed is closing soon, Andrew says. The entire space, with 39 feet for Broadway frontage, is being leased through RFK. “The clerk told me a big tenant is coming, [points to the two stores empty next door]. He also told me RKF the company with the listing said they didn’t even want to raise the rent, and wanted a new ‘great store’ which is ‘just greediness.'”
Bolton’s is opening a new store on Broadway in the low 80’s, says Marsha. “I think it’s going where the Gymboree clothing place was,” she tells us. That would be at 2771 Broadway, between 81st and 82nd street.
Bareburger, originally set to open on Columbus Avenue just North of 97th street on April 6, now says it will open on April 11. After waiting more than a year, what’s another few days! They’re also looking for employees.
A long-awaited SoulCycle is finally on its way to 2465 Broadway, next to Equinox between 91st and 92nd streets. Construction workers are busy inside, Marsha tells us. We first wrote about it in October. The new studio, which used to house a CityMD, is expected to have 63 bikes.
Basics Plus, the hardware and housewares store on Broadway between 83rd and 84th, is expanding into the former home of Candlelight Wines, an employee told our tipster Greg. That throws some doubt on Candlelight’s claim that it was forced out by Cornell Weill medical office, although the medical office may also be taking part of the space. Basics Plus is holding a 20%-off sale and will close for renovations before reopening on July 1.
The AT&T store has reopened on 72nd street between Broadway and Columbus after renovations. They’re offering 25% off all accessories and 25% off all phone repairs for the rest of the month.
Although Lincoln Cafe and the adjacent BreadSoul Cafe on Broadway 62/63 have closed, the newsstand next door has NOT closed (yet)… incorrect alert above. Was just in there (Sunday).
It is really too bad that breadsoul is leaving as it was a great place for a salad or sandwich when one was in the area. It was tasty ,healthy and reasonably priced.
I know that food businesses are important, but PLEASE can anyone tell me where I can find a shoe repair shop in the W. 72 St. vicinity??? The store that was near West End is gone; the store on Columbus near 69 St. is gone. There is no place left! Thank you.
There is a great shoe repair shop on the East side of Broadway between 79th and 78th Street. They do beautiful work too.
I was going to suggest the same place! They’ve done a great job with my shoes. Drago Shoe Repair: 2214 Broadway @ 78th Street.
There’s on on 67th St. between Broadway and Amsterdam. It’s sandwiched in between the Lincoln Square Veterinary Hospital and Old John’s Luncheonette.
There are three shoe repair shops in the area: one on 72 between b’way and columbus on the south side of the street; one on Columbus and 70th on the west side of the street; and one on Amsterdam a block or two north of 72nd on the east side of the street.
Elias Shoe Repair 126 West 72nd Street (south side of the street) – nicest guy
agreed. the shop is about 10 feet wide. his machines are from the early 1900s. the whole scene is ‘the real thing’.
Essentials Plus variety store looks to be on the way out (81 & broadway). fyi.
I’ve asked the staff at Essentials four times about the lack of merchandise. Their message is consistent: they changed distributors and it’s taking forever to restock. Sounds sketchy but they’ve been telling me that since December. One woman actually laughed at me when I asked if they might close. So I take that as a good sign. They’ve also told me once or twice that the upstairs is going to turn into something different, but no one’s specified what.
The merch they do have is not stale, it’s just thin. And the Essentials side of the store (the salon supplies; there are other Essentials stores that don’t have convenience store goods) is fully stocked. No reason not to continue to shop there.
The shelves in Essentials Plus have been sparsely stocked for a year now. Given the corner location on Broadway – the market rent must be well beyond what a business can manage selling shampoo, manicures and potatoes chips and discount beer.
Essentials will be going out of business soon as a new rental or condo building will be going up on this corner. Forgot which type of residential building is going up there.
Are you saying a building is going to be built on the site where Essentials is located or the one being built on 80th and Broadway?
Sorry to see Sasha’s close. That spot was such an incongruous boho oasis: You could sit in the 3-person occupancy spot for hours reading the newspaper, chatting or whatever, drinking coffee in whatever random cup the owner found to pour it, maybe have a banana with it … Oddly peaceful and relaxed… I guess it couldn’t last.
Sounds like a great place. But, if you could sit there for hours, in one of their 3 seats, reading a newspaper, it seems like it would be hard for them to get many customers. (Sort of like the people who sit at Barnes and Noble for hours reading their books.)
When I saw the picture of Basics, I was afraid they were closing – glad they’re not, it’s a nice store!
Sasha’s coffee was very good, but the store was odd. You never knew when it woudl be open, and the owner was frequently not quite rude, but sort of oddly brusque to me. Like he thought I was an idiot but didn’t want to say so openly. Very odd. I stopped going there because of that. It was also even more expensive than some of the other shops. But boy, do I wish there was good coffee at that corner.
Typo alert:
Bolton’s is going in at **2271** Broadway
2771 Broadway is all the way up between 107th and Duke Ellington Blvd
Does anyone know what’s going on with the Flor de Mayo on Amsterdam? I noticed as I went by on the bus that it was closed and had a handwritten note on the window that I couldn’t make out.
How dare these stupid breads people take over bread soul