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.
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.
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.
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.
Nice of Larry David to allow you to photograph him in Risoterria!
Craig- I laughed so hard after reading this comment. Just wanted to take the time to tell you! 🙂
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!
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
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!)
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.
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
(thank God Zabars owns its building!)….for who knows how long…greed is a very powerful thing
When Zabar’s sells their building, that will be the sign I needed.
Wow, you know things are bad when even McDonald’s can’t afford UWS rent.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
LOL. welcome to every kitchen ever.
Totally agree!
Hmmmm, local rest’y in / big chain(s) out. Who knew??!!
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.
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.
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.
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…)
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.
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.
How did the presence of McDonald’s (which, as you can see, some people like) keep you from going to Risoterria??
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! 😀