New Italian food is coming to the Upper West Side, as some “essential” and less essential businesses close.
Mezzogiorno, an Italian restaurant, is opening in the former home of Indian Cafe on Broadway between 107th and 108th street. The restaurant will hopefully open by middle or late June, a manager at Mezzogiorno’s downtown location told us. Check out the menu at its Spring Street location here. Thanks to Sarah and Vivian for the tips.
Yogurtland on Amsterdam Avenue and 80th street closed on Tuesday, just as the summer froyo season begins! How could this be? How could it have survived the winter and then closed up shop just as the sweaty hordes of 11-year-olds were about to mob the place? And just after it had vanquished Pinkberry. The company gave no answer, just saying “It has been a pleasure serving the area.” Thanks to Venya for the photo and Natalia and several others for the tips. I am so ready to say the froyo craze is over, and yet I could really go for some froyo right now… Tasti D-Lite anyone?
Zen Medica, the alternative medicine and nutrition store on the North side of 72nd street between Amsterdam and Columbus, is moving into the former home of Gartner’s Hardware on the other side of the block as soon as Gartner’s moves into its new home down the block. It’s musical chairs! We wish both of them luck — Zen Medica has had trouble attracting clients at its current spot because the entrance is inside the building, so the new space should help out. And Gartner’s is one of our favorite stores in the neighborhood.
Essentials on the corner of 81st and Broadway has closed after a lightning-fast liquidation sale. For months — literally months! — we have been getting emails about how the shelves at the store were always empty. Management said again and again that they were about to get a shipment and they weren’t going out of business. But once the 50% off signs went up, there was no more denying it. One tipster says an employee told him a bank is moving in, although we haven’t confirmed that. Thanks to Gavan, Kate, Beth, Ira, Theo, Marsha, Barbara, Leslie, Mark and others for the tips.
The Desktop USA copy shop on Amsterdam and 85th is planning to close at the end of the month, Jeff tells us. “This is a real shame, they are faster and cheaper than Staples.”
Please keep sending tips about openings and closings, even if you think we may have already reported them. We thrive on tips!
I’m the one who the Essentials staff kept telling they weren’t closing. They did admit at one point to the owner having cash flow issues. Guess the cash/inventory balance got the best of them.
Interestingly, there are now no convenience stores on Broadway for a long stretch, 76th to 88th Street. And none on Amsterdam except on the corners of 79th and 86th. For all the hand-wringing about pharmacies taking over the city a few years ago, we literally have nowhere to buy the little things now, save for whatever the bodegas have handy. Strange development.
What about Pricewise Discount on Broadway between 84 and 85? They have been a staple in the neighborhood for decades (used to be located in the recently demolished building on Broadway and 80th). They seem to continue to generate revenue and provide needed “essentials” to the neighborhood.
Pricewise is amazing! Their staff are so friendly, they’re open late, and they have great stock at fair prices. The pharmacy there isn’t open late, but has the feel of a “neighborhood pharmacy.”
I’m glad Essentials is closed– the owner/manager was mean.
I never considered Essentials to be “essential.” Prices didn’t seem that low, and the surly, unhelpful staff didn’t make things easier there. Most annoying was their paranoid fear of inventory shrinkage, insisting men check any and all bags no matter what size, while paying to heed to women with oversize purses, tote bags or backpacks (but hey… we all know that only men shoplift).
oops…
shoulda been “paying NO heed to…”
I liked it better when it was a book store. I forgot the name. The kid’s books were upstairs past the blue bannister (which never got repainted).
And before *that* there was a cafe upstairs — but that was way before Starbucks had been invented.
Yes, Shakespeare & Co. I was fortunate enough to hear Bruce Chatwin read there once, from “The Songlines.” It was a great store – but B&N opened a block away and that was the end of that.
Shakespeare’s, oddly, also made people check bags. Some distrustful spirit lingers at that location.
Shakespeare–I loved it too!
Seems Sushi Shop which opened in mid-Jan on Broadway & 77/78 has closed. I suspect it will not be missed.
Sushi Shop on Broadway was only open for a couple of months.
How can they just close up, did something happen? Ordered takeout should I be concern about health?
While I didn’t love Essentials, it was cheaper than Duane Reade et al, and closer to me than PriceWise after it moved up to 85th and Broadway. Agree about the bag policy, but they stopped doing that years ago. I hope Essentials going out of business brings more business to PriceWise, so they don’t have to move further north or close at some point…
Pricewise on Bway & 84 is still doing well. Never liked Essentials. The bookshop it replaced was Shakespeare & Co.
I never forgave Essentials for replacing Shakespeare & Co.
Yes, we desperately need another bank in our neighborhood. It just wouldn’t be fair to expect any resident to have to walk an entire block to get to the closest bank. Perhaps Broadway on the Upper West Side could be rezoned so that only banks are allowed on both sides of the avenue.
Yogurtland closing is not a big deal. There is a 16 Handles just 2 blocks south. I am sure we will survive.
Once I got over Shakespeare’s being closed, I learned to like Essentials. Happy memories of getting water ices there with my son on hot afternoons, sometimes through the window.
I’ve always been a huge fan of Pricewise. Even after they moved a few blocks further north of where I live, I continued to shop there. They’re always friendly and were a tremendous help to me when I was very pregnant with my twins! I hope our neighborhood continues to support them.
Just as an FYI regarding Essentials – two weeks ago I saw the manager of Zabar’s in there with a clipboard and a team of people. Looked like they were discussing dimensions. Made me wonder if Zabar’s was considering an expansion. They were definitely having a serious discussion … so, who knows?
I know that the Zabar brothers own the building on the south end of the block, in which the store is located. They may well own the northern building (in which Essentials is located) as well — they own a lot of property in the neighborhood.
If that’s the case, they may just have been preparing to market the now-empty Essentials space. But that’s just a guess.
Thanks, Cato, I wondered about that too.
It’s nice to see Mezzogiorno making good progress towards their opening. The neighborhood has really developed into a nice destination for dining and a well executed Italian restaurant would do very well. It’s unfortunate that the planned restaurant on 106th and Broadway, also conceived an Italian restaurant, had so many problems with the landlord. I was told they are likely not moving forward despite the recent removal of scaffolding.
The corner restaurant on 106 and Broadway was delayed, but opening is scheduled for June per the workers onsite. Will be great to have two new restaurants in the neighborhood – three once Five Lamps’ replacement comes to be.
Thanks Joe. Did they provide any further information?
SushiShop -Broadway @ 68th St has closed
bring back SHAKESPEARE”S books!