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OPENINGS & CLOSINGS: RISOTTERIA, URBAN OUTFITTERS, MCDONALD’S, LULUDI

June 3, 2015 | 10:04 AM - Updated on June 5, 2015 | 11:03 AM
in FOOD, NEWS, OPEN/CLOSED
27

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A long-awaited Italian restaurant and a terrarium store just opened, as a McDonald’s and Urban Outfitters are on the way out.

Risotteria, the new gluten-free Italian spot on the corner of 78th and Amsterdam, has finally opened its doors, and it looked like locals were eager to try it when we stopped by last weekend. For hours and menus, click here.

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Urban Outfitters on the corner of 72nd and Broadway plans to close on June 20 to make way for a Bloomingdale’s Outlet. An employee said the employees at the store will be transferred to other stores or positions. They’re having a sale of 50% off of certain items.

mcdonalds

McDonald’s on Broadway between 81st and 82nd street closed a few days ago. A manager there had told one of our tipsters that the rent was simply too high. Thanks to Daniel, Charles, Terry, Jeff and several others for the tips. Click the going-away sign below to enlarge.

mcdonalds2

Luludi, which sells terrariums, just opened at 324a Columbus Avenue, near 75th street. “I bought something from them when they were at the weekend market, and I’m really impressed with how friendly and helpful the sales people are – great customer service, even for those of us who (like me) tend to accidentally kill plants,” our tipster Hillary writes. Learn more about them here.

Thanks for the tips, everyone! Keep them coming.

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Craig
Craig
10 years ago

Nice of Larry David to allow you to photograph him in Risoterria!

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Cristen
Cristen
10 years ago
Reply to  Craig

Craig- I laughed so hard after reading this comment. Just wanted to take the time to tell you! 🙂

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What?
What?
10 years ago

When corporations are no longer willing to pay the rent, who will? Perhaps another high quality retail store like Bolton’s (sarcasm)? This street is sorely in need of fresh, modern options, not another empty storefront or bank!

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tk
tk
10 years ago
Reply to  What?

the franchisee probably elected to close it – mcdonalds charges 16% of sales (way above industry avg) so if the topline wasn’t there and expenses were creeping up it just might not make sense anymore to keep it open

https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-franchisees-blast-high-rent-costs-2015-6

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Wendy
Wendy
10 years ago

That McDonalds on Bway and 81st Street was very popular. I don’t frequent Mcd’s very often but it was a low-cost alternative to $3 coffees, $4 ice cream and overpriced burgers for all kinds of people; kids, parents, babysitters, adults, workers, etc. It’s too bad they were forced out due to rising rents. This is the bane of the upper west side – commercial real estate rents are uncontrollable and unconscionable. The result is that the people who live here are the ones who will suffer from a lack of variety and individuality. Broadway has turned into one big upscale outdoor shopping mall with a few notable exceptions (thank God Zabars owns its building!)

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beholder
beholder
10 years ago
Reply to  Wendy

Any time any McD closes is a cause for celebration. And with a superchain like MacDonald rent does not matter. So it’s a corporate decision, and the fewer of this poison the better. Fast food should still be food, and McD is not food.

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tk
tk
10 years ago
Reply to  Wendy

you’re lamenting the closure of a mcdonalds because it will result in a store that will reduce the amount of variety and individuality in the neighborhood?

there were 2 other mcdonalds within 20 blocks of that one on broadway, i say good riddance. people are starting to eat less of that garbage – i don’t think it had to do with high rents as much as falling sales

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maryjane
maryjane
10 years ago
Reply to  Wendy

(thank God Zabars owns its building!)….for who knows how long…greed is a very powerful thing

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CosmoAndCharlie
CosmoAndCharlie
10 years ago
Reply to  maryjane

When Zabar’s sells their building, that will be the sign I needed.

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KT
KT
10 years ago

Wow, you know things are bad when even McDonald’s can’t afford UWS rent.

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sam
sam
10 years ago
Reply to  KT

I had a feeling that McDonalds wasn’t long for this world – it hadn’t undergone the renovations/modernizations that the others in the city had gone through in the past few years and was increasingly “falling behind”.

As much as one can laugh at the idea of McD’s having an “atmosphere”, it clearly didn’t fit the newer corporate image.

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LS
LS
10 years ago

Safe to assume that Bloomingdale’s Outlet will generate quite a bit of pedestrian and vehicle traffic to an already congested area.

There is an impact when “destination” stores come to residential neighborhoods.

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W80s
W80s
10 years ago

Dined at Risottoteria the other night. The food was tasty – not just “tasty for GF” but really good. The service was solid and our server was charming. However, the chef/expediter was rude. We are a GF family and would like to support the restaurant but the chef’s behavior was really off-putting and colored our dining experience.

It was freezing the night we dined there and the doors were wide open. My daughter (a child) wondered aloud why it was open and the chef snapped at her with “it’s smoky in here” (it wasn’t). He also treated kitchen and service staff like crap. In an open kitchen you’d think he might behave. I understand the stress of being newly opened and operational but his behavior was OTT.

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jhminnyc
jhminnyc
10 years ago
Reply to  W80s

what does “GF family” mean? urban dictionary says GF means girl friend. I’m an UWS living in NYC near BWY and i ride the IRT, yet i still don’t know, OMG.

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Christina
Christina
10 years ago
Reply to  W80s

Not good but I was treated worse as a kid in restaurants on UWS where I grew up as well as other places. It happens, don’t take it personally. And I’m sure it’ll happen for years to come. People can be idiots!

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W80s
W80s
10 years ago
Reply to  Christina

The chef’s interaction with my child was really the tip of the iceberg as far as his behavior went. He yelled at a runner, was rude to servers, threatened another runner to the point where a manager had to intervene, and bullied the kitchen staff. If you’re going to design the space around an open kitchen, you’re going to have to behave in the kitchen.

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chris
chris
10 years ago
Reply to  W80s

LOL. welcome to every kitchen ever.

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Christina
Christina
10 years ago
Reply to  W80s

Totally agree!

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Inverso
Inverso
10 years ago

Hmmmm, local rest’y in / big chain(s) out. Who knew??!!

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drg
drg
10 years ago

McD closing in advance of the increasing minimum wage. But I agree with the previous poster… no loss for the neighborhood. One less place for the sugar/grease/salt addicts to get their cheap and unhealthy fix.

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tyler
tyler
10 years ago

isn’t starbucks on columbus closing because their rent is DOUBLING? crazy.

the new sushi place on broadway near the apthorp closed after like A MONTH.

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Christina
Christina
10 years ago

You know things are bad when Even McDonalds says the rent is too high! Hello Tiffany’s!… Not in my neighborhood! Keep that for midtown.

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stuart
stuart
10 years ago

I remember the good old days when McDonalds and Burger King were on that same block. How could one make a choice? (and don’t say you’d pass on both of them, you granola-types…)

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Christine E
Christine E
10 years ago

Maybe the upper-crust full-of-themselves UWS-ies don’t like it, but that McD’s served a wide swath of the neighborhood – as usual, not much left for the lower/middle class. Also, the staff there were really nice. Not like other McD’s. And they had free children’s parties! Cookies and clowns! C’mon people. Get your nose out of the sky.

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Suzanne Baranski
Suzanne Baranski
10 years ago

Went by the luludi store and I couldn’t agree more, I was so impressed by the woman and the man that were there. They were very friendly and offer plant assistance over the phone if needed. I got a terrarium.
As for MCD… I am so glad it’s going. I don’t like that food and will be glad to go to risoteria.

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Cato
Cato
10 years ago
Reply to  Suzanne Baranski

How did the presence of McDonald’s (which, as you can see, some people like) keep you from going to Risoterria??

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Christina
Christina
10 years ago

I remember the first McDonalds to open on UWS on 96th Street. I was a kid and my Parents took us to see him. I was so excited! Hahaha! I also remember (embarrassed to say) before that we used to take family trips and drive to NJ to go to McDonalds! Omg!,Ok, TMI! …LOL Never mind! 😀

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