Openings, Closings and Updates: Lululemon, Fine & Schapiro, Satori Laser, Le Gourmand
Lululemon is opening a new store at 2935 Broadway (115th Street), in the former home of M2M Asian market. They’re expected to open early this summer. Thanks to Chris and Lindsay for the tips.
Fine & Schapiro, the famed 93-year-old Kosher deli on West 72nd Street, closed last week with a sign on the door saying “closed for renovations until further notice,” We called the restaurant numerous times and got no answer. The deli was closed in May 2018 by order of the Board of Health. Sandi K. told us she “just ordered from Fine & Schapiro for the kids last Friday” and “got the best meal I ever got from them.” Since then we’ve heard all sorts of rumors but nothing firm. Thanks to Rolando for the tip and photos.
How inconvenient will it be?
The former Tani Shoes at 131 West 72nd Street is becoming Satori Laser, a chain of laser hair removal businesses. Thanks to David for the tip.
Small French bakery Le Gourmand wanted to reopen at 104 West 70th Street, but a marshal’s notice on the door last week made it clear that won’t be happening. The bakery is hoping to sell wholesale and get new equipment, the owner tells us. Thanks to Victor for the tip.
Best kosher pastrami in Manhattan aside from 2nd avenue deli. I will miss you Fine & Schapiro.
What about Pastrami Queen?
The pastrami at Pastrami Queen, which I have given numerous tries over the years, is not good. It is consistently very fatty, so much so that I have to throw out close to half the sandwich, and quite bland.
I totally agree – my heart is broken.
But I was able to order a pastrami on rye with French fries a couple weeks ago… Scrumptious!
For the most part I love Fine & Shapiro and hope they really are renovating and not closing.
It will be very sad if Fine & Schapiro closes. It’s one of the few kosher (as opposed to kosher style) delis left in the city.
It is also a link to the old UWS.
Yes, but the Market has spoken and clearly this establishment is no longer fit to be in business. So don’t shed any tears over their demise.
Does anyone shop at Fischer Brothers? I wonder if it’s a good alternative if F&S were to close.
F&S is so gross inside. Looks like the place hadn’t had a real cleaning in years. You have to be seriously disgusting to actually get shut down. And after that they kept getting a C. I’m sure the owner doesn’t want to invest in taking care of it properly.
I hope you enjoy whistling on people graveyards. Did you ever hear if you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say it, how about the golden rule? This was somebody’s lifetime work. Sheesh!
One of my favorite restaurants in NYC. Amazing pastrami, nice service, relaxing environment.
Oh, and occasional sightings of Jackie Mason eating soup.
Fine & Shapiro was obscenely overpriced.
Wow. I am stunned by your statement. I found their prices quite fair considering their location and quality of food. In all seriousness, where do you go if you find them overpriced? I’m always on the lookout for good, inexpensive eats!
Actually F & S is one of the cheaper kosher resources on the UWS. There are some incredibly overpriced kosher places on the UWS which are WAY more $$$ than F & S.!!
This is very sad news. F&S has been my go-to place for more than 40 years for the best corned beef and sliced turkey. The guys behind the counter were great, too. So where do I go now for corned beef? And why would F&S post “Under renovation until further notice” if they had no plans to actually renovate and return?
“Under renovation” is NYC restaurant-speak for “we’re out of business unless we can convince the landlord to give us a break”. 90% of the time, it’s closed for good, but every now and then places with this statement do re-open, because indeed, the landlord was convinced to ease up.
Fine and Shapiro has not been any good since 1987
I’ll bite…what happened in 1987?
Fine and Schapiro closing is a huge loss. They had amazing Corned Beef sandwiches and my kids loved their matzoh ball soup. Owners were very nice and so was Mary and the rest of the wait staff.
Sad even with the closing you get people on comments section complaining about prices etc. Prices are what they are as its extremely expensive to operate a restaurant in NYC. Their prices were fair and portions were large. I think Friedman’s restaurant nearby may have affected business as well as not many people in their 20’s and 30’s have an appreciation for great deli food.
Let’s hope they reopen as I believe they have been in that location since 1927.
Actually, deli and appetizing are quite hip and popular… if marketed that way. Places like Mile End do very well with the younger demographic. On old deli on the UWS, not so much.
Stu is absolutely right about Jewish deli food still being popular. Frankel’s in Greenpoint comes to mind — as does Harry & Ida’s in the East Village (which closed for non-financial reasons) — as examples of modern takes on deli fare that have won legions of fans.
If F&S actually did upgrade the quality of its food (make the menu smaller for starters) and at least give the place a thorough cleaning, it would almost certainly do great.
The way this is going within a year half the storefronts on the UWS will be empty. Very sad.
How is it possible the UWS, with one of the most prominent Jewish communities in the world, does not have a proper authentic delicatessen?! It’s a shonda!
Everyone is so worried about some local bookstore or a Starbucks closing but this should be at the top of everyone’s list. At least in my opinion.
Books and coffee I can get anywhere but a proper corned beef on rye?? I don’t think so. And don’t forget the Dr. Browns soda and a couple of nice sour pickles.:)
Amen!
Fine and Schapiro needs to stay open! A true classic and part of the history of the UWS – when so little of that remains. They have the best cure-all matzoball soup and there’s no where else in the neighborhood that compares.
The Upper West Side aint no home for us old Jews anymore.
There is NOTHING in the area that serves anything remotely like Fine & Schapiro. And yes, they were not cheap – but a thin diner omelet can cost you $20. A quart of soup and a thick sandwich would stretch to dinner and next day’s lunch.
Just saw Jackie Mason eating there with a big bib around him. oy vey
….And their matzoh ball soup is ESSENTIAL to get through flu season! Where am I gonna get that now?!
It’s really easy to make your own matzoh balls. Standard recipe on matzoh meal boxes and probably plenty online. They freeze well and can be added to any kind, store-bought or homemade, of chicken soup.
F&S allegedly has closed according to a FB posting. Something to do with LL and lease renewal apparently.
https://www.facebook.com/ManhattanSideways/photos/a.377175312344651/2895359347192889/?type=1&theater&_fb_noscript=1
https://ny.eater.com/2020/3/5/21166550/fine-schapiro-uws-jewish-deli-nyc-closed