A new workout spot and restaurant have opened, while a longtime clothing store closes its doors so the owners can drink “frozen margaritas.” Read about several local openings and closings below.
Soul Cycle opened its doors to its newest location on Broadway between 91st and 92nd street, and there was already a line of people signing up for classes on Friday morning. Oh, you beautiful motivated people.
Global Table, the home accessories shop on Amsterdam between 82nd and 83rd street, has closed. Owner Nathalie told us that the scaffolding around the building had hurt business. “We waited it out for two years, but it never came down,” she said. The shop had been open for about four years. The downtown Global Table at 107-109 Sullivan Street is still open.
Right up the block from Global Table, a new salon called La’Kres is opening in a former State Farm office. They’re hiring stylists and hair assistants.
The Ribbon has officially opened in the former home of Sambuca on 72nd street just off of Central Park West. “It’s the latest entry from the Bromberg brothers, who own eight Blue Ribbon establishments around the city, and has the earmarks of the quintessential neighborhood restaurant. But its fried chicken, served only on Sunday and Monday evenings, may make it a destination. The large menu includes cheese plates, pâtés (and chopped liver), raw-bar items, latkes, rotisserie meats and a burger, but none of the sushi served at some other Blue Ribbons,” the Times says. There’s an open kitchen too.
Dr. Stuart Blankman’s former optometry shop at 2472 Broadway between 91st and 92nd street has been rented to UPS, a construction worker told our tipster Kenneth.
Willow, the women’s clothing and accessories store on Amsterdam between 76th and 77th street, has closed after 29 years. A note left on the store window says the owners are retiring “to sit on the deck, drink frozen margaritas, and read a book!” The note’s below. Thanks to Carol for the tip and photos. (Click photos below to enlarge.)
Zen Medica, the health and natural foods store, has moved across 72nd street to the former home of Gartner’s Hardware, which itself moved down the street to the old Coldstone Creamery space.
Sad about Global Table leaving the neighborhood. They had beautiful things at reasonable rates.
I’ve seen other businesses that remained shrouded in scaffolding dry up and blow away. The work that necessitates these “temporary” structures never seems to end and the residents, restaurants and shops all suffer. A friend in the business says they’re the indication of strong economy, but he’s invested. The city doesn’t seem to be interested in making sure work gets done in a timely manner and the ugly scaffolds remain in place year after year. The other problem I have with these things is that they’re just a plain eyesore. The church at Amsterdam and 86th having been constructed with poor quality stone that will always be flaking off and striking pedestrians will never be free of scaffolding. We have to look at that mess forever. The rational thing to do would be to tear that hazard down, but I don’t see that ever happening either.
As far as I’m aware, you are only charged a fixed fee by the city for setting up the scaffold. There should be an on going fee to put some pressure on the contractors to finish up. There are some sidewalk bridges that have been up for several years while the construction above stalled.
This requires clarification. Here are the facts:
The City does not set up or provide sidewalk sheds. A property owner causes one to be erected either because there is construction in progress overhead the requires it by code or the building facade has not been certified as safe – either following the every five year NYC Local 11 safety inspection or because some other defect in the facade has been observed.
Sidewalk sheds are often left in place in contemplation of additional work in the future. The bulk of the cost for a sidewalk shed is putting it up for a predetermined period and taking it down. Leaving it in place extra time is a far smaller monthly cost. A basic sidewalk she 180 feet in length costs about $16,000 to $18,000 for a 6 month period, not including any required security system.
This is helpful — thanks. As suggested above, the City should charge a fee for every month that a shed remains longer than absolutely necessary. Revenue for the City, incentive to remove the eyesore for the citizens.
Oh, and the owners may actually be inspired to move quickly rather than lah-ti-dah.
It’s not the contractors who are at fault here. It is the building’s owner or owners. Sometimes there is not enough cash flow to finish or even start work. Sometimes the owners cannot come to an agreement on how to proceed especially if it is in response to an inspection. Think of them as front porches.