Openings & Closings: West Side Wok, Spirit Halloween, Upper West Side Mini Mart
A new Kosher Asian restaurant called West Side Wok and Konata Sushi Bar is opening at 691 Amsterdam Avenue between 93rd and 94th Streets, the former home of Gan Asia. “We’ll be having the best Asian Cuisine on the Upper West Side, and…We’re Bringing Sushi Back!” the restaurant says on its Facebook page. It will serve Chinese, Thai and Japanese food. The soft opening is expected “soon.” Photo by Ilana R. Thanks also to Melissa for the tip.
Spirit Halloween opened a new pop-up store last week on Broadway and 100th Street, like it does every year. “Only 82 days till Halloween,” wrote Ken. (Now it’s more like 75, so better get ready!)
Upper West Side Mini Mart has opened on 72nd Street near Broadway in the former home of Grandaisy. The 24-hour market has an ATM that spits out $10s too. “Welcome to organic milk to eggs at all hours day and night!” wrote Rachel.
The Aldo shoe store on W84/Broadway is going out; not sure when but there is a broker trying to market the space.
Re:Westside Market: word has it they’re opening on 93rd and Lex. and looking for other east side locations. I still miss them on 76th/bway. once in a while, I go to 97th/bway just for the wonderful bread and rolls. I mentioned it to Fairway to get them to order from their distributors. Fairway rolls are inedible and (sorry) but they smell bad. it didn’t work. with all the large empty storefronts, you’d think they could find a spot to open. Also, the demise of our best general store PriceWise, they had great prices, carried everything and would look up and order what we needed. No price gouging here. And so it goes…..we’ve turned the corner to an inconvenient and boring place to live and it seems nothing will change.
There is one under construction on the south side of West 23 near 7th Ave and another under construction on 2nd Ave (I think is where I saw it)in the high teens.
I agree about how the UWS is becoming more and more an inconvenient and boring neighborhood. Food shopping is now a chore if you’re an adventurous cook, which I am. I have to go to several stores to just get my basics. When I moved to the UWS, the restaurant scene was vibrant. Anyone remember Ernie’s? And when Fishs Eddy was here? And when we had an indy & foreign film movie theater? And when…….
@ Marci
“And when”…..
We had an OTB on 72nd and Broadway and it would attract sleazy and grimy people from outside the neighborhood who would leave their beer cans and cigarette butts all over the sidewalk.
The good old days weren’t always so good. The neighborhood has changed – mostly for the better.
Stop whining.
Sherm
We were talking just tonight aboutwhow much we miss WestSide market!!! HATE shopping at Fairway.
Yes, there are empty storefronts, but they need storage space. One of the managers was telling us why they couldn’t go into some of the empty places. I just remember that the problem with the space vacated by Duane Reade on 76? 75th and Bway was no basement
I’m devastated about Pricewise! I just hope everyone can find employment. They were SO helpful!!!
I’m really disappointed to hear about the Westside Market looking for locations on the UES. As for a ‘general store,’ isn’t Target still opening in the Gracious Homes spot? I haven’t kept up with the neighborhood news for awhile.
Very well said.
Pop-up stores ARE scary. What happened to our stable neighborhood?
You’re right. Pop-up stores are terrible for the neighborhood.
I would rather see empty storefronts.
And the owner of that Halloween store has a lot of nerve having a pop-up store. The neighborhood really needs a year-round Halloween store.
These annual temporary Halloween stores are the most depressing possible use of our proliferating empty storefronts. Someone in government, please fix the rent problem so the UWS stops looking like some post-apocalyptic wasteland!
I feel bad for these shops that are closing. The rents get increased so high. There’s so much competition with nearby shops.
The new shops cropping up will also face very high rent cost. I really wish them the best. Greedy landlords has no sympathy on people trying to make a living.
Re: “Greedy landlords has no sympathy on people trying to make a living.”
Landlords are “greedy” if they want to make a return on their investment after dealing with this city’s byzantine rules and regulations?
BOTH they and the shop-keepers are people trying to make a living by participating in (gasp!!) Capitalism, with all its advantages and problems!
Don’t like Capitalism? Try Socialism…it works so well in Venezuela.
I loved and miss China Shalom on Columbus. Gan Asia was once a good alternative, but it became so expensive and the food quality diminished significantly. I sincerely hope this is not just Gan Asia under a different name.
good riddance to Gan Asia: low quality food, certain dishes listed on the menu were never available, sometimes rude counter service. if it’s the same owners I will avoid.
Halloween is almost here! Yippee! 🎃
Another crappy mess. Ugh. Maybe it’s time to move from my beloved upper west side
““Welcome to organic milk to eggs at all hours day and night!” wrote Rachel.”
Welcome? It’s nice to have options but it’s nothing new. 72nd has had West End Superette for years.
What is with these restaurant to that -serve items from a million different cultures and just because it’s asian feel they go together?
So glad Spirit rents out that ugly storefront on 99th/broadway for a month or 2 every year and then it stands vacant for the other 10.
From a beautiful, artisanal, European bakery like Grandaisy, to this? I guess the opening of the Dunkin Donuts up the block set the precedent for low quality, unineteresting, and in this case, tacky, shops. If this is what the people want, I guess that’s what they will get. All I know is that living in this neighborhood and this city becomes less and less interesting and vibrant.
What about the newspaper stand right next to the new Mini Mart…They will definitely be losing business…they have been in the neighborhood forever….
What about the newsstand right next to new mini mart? They have been at that location for years… They are definitely going to lose business.
83rd to 96th on Broadway is depressing .
Fantastic article on exactly this subject in the Harpers July 2018 magazine the name of the article is The Death of a Once Great City. Thanks Kevin Baker well-researched for writing distrustful well-written article on the topic that is a great concern to all of us here on the upper west side.
Off topic- can anyone tell me if it’s legal to be chaining up tons of bikes up and down 72nd and let them rust and rot off? Domino’s is the biggest offender, but compared to every other block it’s a dirty eyesore that blocks the sidewalk and makes it impossible to curb your dog. They’re chained to all the scaffolding poles, street signs, and then some businesses put out bike racks. I emailed the city counsel and called 311 to no avail. It’s my little UWS kvetching crusade. Any tips much appreciated!