Pizza Collective, a restaurant at 71st and Broadway that was in the works before the coronavirus hit, has opened. The menu includes whole pies and slices, sandwiches, and pasta. The website has some nice photos of the various pies and some thoughts that may have been lost in translation, such as: “Coming to our restaurant and looking around is like reading our diary.” Thanks to Suzanne for the tip.
Chipotle is opening at 885 10th Avenue (between West 57th and West 58th Streets), according to Mann Publications.
The Duane Reade at 88th and Broadway is closing on June 2. The chain has been closing several Upper West Side locations. Thanks to Marsha and Jon for the tips.
The website of Pizza Collective is bizarre. Tries too hard to be “retro”. Not an American sense of humor to be sure. What’s important is the pizza (only square slices?), which looks fantastic.
Oh no, why is the Duane Reade closing?
They closed down the Duane Reade on Columbus and 75th last year. Sometimes I would compare prices between that store and the monster one on 72nd and Broadway. 72nd prices were sky high compared to 75th. Close down the smaller better priced stores so everyone has to shop at the overpriced one. Sad. I do my best not to shop there anymore. A smaller pharmacy opened on 72nd where Love’s used to be located. They have cheaper prices and much better service, even delivers prescriptions. Take a hike Duane Reade!
DR also shut down the store on 72nd btwn B’way and WEA, and were in the process of shutting down the other location on 68th and B’way. Btw, the ‘new’ Loves store is owned by Joseph Pharmacy, so plz do whatever you can to keep both of them in business. They have served us well during the pandemic!
The new store on 72nd is the Wellness Pharmacy and is indeed an extension of Joseph Pharmacy. They are both wonderfully helpful, well stocked and deliver. Please support these independent treasures with your business.
Because they finished the task of driving the small pharmacies out of the neighborhood. Now they will consolidate and raise their prices. Capitalism. AT some point they will pleade bankruptsy and cut bailout deal with the government, claiming they are essential for the neighborhood.
I despise DR. They never seem to part of a neighborhood. As quickly as the space is built with prefabircated materials and design it can be torn down in a day. Good riddance!
Original DR stores were fine; located at first in financial district, then mid-town. Once Walgreens bought them however things went down hill fast.
A rapid expansion that put DR stores not just literally on almost every block, but often within close distance to each other.
Stores became huge carrying everything from soup to nuts, but prices went up. Then came the internet.
Like other retail much of what is in DR stores can be found easily online cheaper. Especially health/beauty, household supplies, hardware, etc….
It also didn’t help that these huge DR stores were (and still are) magnets for shoplifting and other crimes.
Oh and don’t forget usually within a one or few block radius you have CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid and whatever is left of small independent discount health/beauty or pharmacies.
You could easily shrink down most DR stores to a much smaller space complete with pharmacy counter. But wait; that is what existed in most neighborhoods before DR forced most of them out of business.
These closings are happening all over city. On UES north of 72nd street DR has closed many stores.
Pizza Collective looks like an interesting concept but the website is bizarre. They need to change and simplify the website.
That Duane Reade could not compete with Face Values which opened up where Food Emporium was a few blocks north
Exactly. The Face Values is so much cheaper for everything. I used to shop at Duane Reade all the time before they were bought by Walgreens. After they were bought the prices became ridiculous. The Duane Reade also has locked everything up so to get many items you have to call and wait for someone to come to unlock it. I don’t shop there unless I have to.
This particular Duane Read s a miserable place to do business. I am referring to RXdept. More than once I was given incorrect meds. The head of pharm whomever hat might be was nasty and dismissive. In all fairness he might be gone. These gripes were resolved two years ago by switching pharmacies!!
Goodbye and good riddance.
People should try Joseph Pharmacy on the southside of 72nd between Broadway and West End Ave. It’s small but the service is great and the pharmacy is the best in the neighborhood. They work with you to get you what you want.
The new Pharmacy on 72nd between Columbus and Broadway (former LOVE Store) is great. Workers extremely friendly and helpful.
Joseph pharmacy and the Wellness pharmacy, both on 72nd street, belong to the same people. Both are really great. This is where I go when they closed DR on 75th and columbus.
The only time that DR was noteworthy (in a positive sense) was when Frank took over the pharmacy after closing his own. When he retired it started to fade again.
DR was the quintessential NYC store. It had everything. Then Walgreens came in, took over, and has no regard for the NYC market. There was a DR store on W.72nd near West End..it was great with a wonderful pharmacist Ted. Worse than Walgreens however is CVS on West End and 70th. They have empty shelves 95% of the time. They have no merchandise…and now the few items they do have are locked up. So you must get help to buy ice cream or toothpaste. It’s a waste of time. Apparently they will not get a guard so shoplifting is a fun sport. I recognize the guys already. That’s a great corner -they have a captive audience and 2 vacant stores next door. Please CVS leave and let something like an actual supermarket or larger drug store/phArmacy serve the neighborhood. And btw, this is NYC …carry local newspapers!
I also like Joseph’s on west 72. It’s filled the pricewise-shaped hole on my heart. Great selection and people. Pharmacy super helpful.
we are desperate for a super market in this area. There are few that are close by. the Duane Reade that is closing was once a super market. How can we make this happen.
Frank, the pharmacist didn’t retire. I believe he is working at a Duane Reade on Columbus Avenue, in the 80’s. The DR on Broadway and 88 Street has continuously changed staff, especially at the pharmacy.
It would be a major loss for WestSiders to lose Duane Reade. Many have become dependent upon their pricing scheme and if we lose them, prices will rise (not just due to inflation
Forget Duane Reade, Park West Pharmacy in Columbus between 82nd and 83rd is where it’s at… a real neighborhood store, unlike the chains.