Openings: Chama Mama, J’s Cleaners, CBD Kratom, New Deli
Chama Mama, which serves Georgian food, just opened at 373 Amsterdam Avenue, between 77th and 78th Streets — the former home of La Vela. Chama Mama’s downtown location is known for its clay oven where they bake traditional Georgian breads. They’ve also got very unique omelettes, kebabs and more. For now, it has indoor seating but may add outdoor seating later. The menu is here. Thanks to Kirk and Dan for the tips.
J’s Cleaners opening in the former Mayson 2 Cleaners on Amsterdam between 69th and 70th. Thanks to Wendi for the tip.
Hey the Paris Baguette that closed will now be a… cannabis dispensary (attn @westsiderag) 🥐🪴 pic.twitter.com/24u2qm0gg8
— Jen Chung (@jenchung) April 19, 2021
A business called CBD Kratom is opening in the former home of Paris Baguette on 70th and Amsterdam. CBD Kratom is apparently owned by a St. Louis-based company called Mr. Nice Guy (MNG). It has more than 30 locations around the country. Though it says “cannabis dispensary” on the sign, one rep tells us that it’s not going to be dispensing cannabis at this point — it carries CBD and a product called Kratom, which is a plant related to the coffee plant that is supposedly good for pain relief. New York legalized marijuana, but it won’t be sold until regulations are ironed out over the next few months.
A new deli has filed papers to open at 201 Amsterdam Avenue between 69th and 70th, which appears to be the former home of Capezio. Thanks to Upper West Sider for the tip.
Chama Mama definitely looks like it’s worth checking out.
The UWS is getting a lot of CBD and bong shops who are probably hoping to score a THC sellers license when they’re available, but some won’t get the license and some of the other ones who do will go out of business after a while when they see the market isn’t as large as they thought it’d be. That’s been the pattern in other states and will depend on a lot on the market rate for the product and whether the underground market undercuts it on price.
You don’t think there is a large demand on the UWS, or in NYC in general?
I think past experience has shown that many of the shops that open at the beginning of legal sales wind up closing. The value of the market is often overestimated. And, legalization doesn’t mean that the black market will dry up. The black market often remains less expensive, just like bootlegged cigarette.
Anyone in NYC who wants to acquire marijuana these days can do so easily. And you can have it delivered to your door. By someone you know. Whose products you trust. Black market prices don’t have to be lower when the product is reliable and the service is superior.
I miss the days when if you heard about a “new deli”, you immediately envision a hot pastrami on rye, slathered in spicy brown mustard.
When did a deli become a mini-mart? Was it in the 1980’s?
J’s Cleaners are superb. Can’t recommend them highly enough. Their service is excellent – great laundry (including sheets), dry cleaning (including care items) and very fair prices. My only regret is not having discovered them sooner.
A deli sounds ideal! Though I wonder if they’ll make regular old sandwiches like no one does anymore.
Much better than a CBD shop and with the pot paraphernalia shops next to McDonald’s, that block is a bummer.
Kratom is additive. It’s used in opioid withdrawal.
Can cause liver toxicity, and psychosis.
I’m not happy this store is opening. Bad news.
Additive, or addictive?
Why 2 CBD places (there’s another where Pokebab used to be) feel the need to serve the community on one block is anyone’s guess. Once the details are ironed out, let’s hope they’ll be selling something other than the skunk weed most smokers feel the need to share the aroma of these days as they toke while strolling along the streets, but in any event, these are just more reasons to avoid a block that was already unpleasant to deal with before any of these businesses came along. On another note, why is it now perfectly legal to get stoned in public but an open beer needs to be hidden?
That’s an excellent question. The best answer I can give is that drinking in public encourages people to congregate in a way they might not do when smoking weed — so maybe it’s a noise issue, and the intoxication part is secondary. But it’s definitely weird, totally agree.
We must live on different blocks because the weed smoking congregating is frequent in my parts.
Because the legal use regulations haven’t been written yet. Right now you can smoke it anywhere you can smoke cigarettes. That’s likely to change within the next year or so.
Yeah.
Don’t forget that there’s also a liquor store and a wine store close by as well. Keeping all the vices in 1 area!
I try to avoid that block now as it is. Why are they putting 2 CBD stores right near each other. Isn’t one enough? Where is Helen Rosenthal and Linda Rosenthal and Gale Brewer. This block is a mess and it hurts other good businesses there Between the filthy sidewalk, the homeless and overflowing garbage pails and now 2 CBD stores this block is a mess.
Joan, do you not know what CBD is?
Excited to try chama mama!
I know that Chama Mama is calling their traditional khachapuri lobiani and khinkali “breads” on the menu. That is because most Americans don’t know Georgian food. Georgian food is uses greens and pomegranate and walnuts in exceptional ways. So exciting to have it nearby!
Karen, have you been to Georgia?! It is on the top of my bucket list.
I’m excited to have Georgian food in our neighborhood at last. I will definitely try it out.
Yep, been there. Definitely worth the trip.
Georgian food is utterly delicious. Can’t wait to visit Chama Mama.
Neighborhood has literally gone to pot
J’s Cleaners is awesome! Fantastic customer service and they do a great job with both wash and fold and dry cleaning. They also let you schedule pick up online, confirm pick up via text. Cannot say enough good things about them!
What’s going on with Patsy’s on W. 74? They’ve been closed for a couple of weeks due to a gas leak but wondering if something else.
Gas leak is the reason.