Courtesy Janie’s Life Changing Baked Goods.
Janie’s Life Changing Baked Goods is now open at 212 West 80th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. The shop is part of a remarkable story. Owner Janie Deegan had been homeless and addicted to drugs in her mid-20s before she turned her life around and started her baking business. “I grew up on the Upper West Side, and I live here now, so moving into this space felt like coming home,” she told Gothamist. “On Thursday night I had a bunch of people here helping set up and training the staff and after everyone left at like 11 at night I put on some music and was like ‘that’s my oven, I paid for that,’ and ‘this is my mop that I’m mopping the floor.’ It’s a long way from being a homeless junkie. As we say in recovery, definitely a ‘beyond my wildest dreams’ moment.”
Ice cream chain Blue Marble is opening a second Upper West Side location at 2058 Broadway between 70th and 71st Streets, the former home of Le Pif Wine Bar. Owner Jennie Dundas tells us she’s expecting to open in November. Blue Marble was recently featured in a New York Times story about the difficulties of selling high-end ice cream.
Pinky salon is closing its location at 80th and Broadway on Monday. “We have looked at the situation from every avenue, but in the end, we just couldn’t find a solution to make ends meet in light of the drastic reduction in business as a result of the pandemic,” the salon said in an email to customers. The owner said the Pinky on 89th and Broadway will stay open and will honor gift cards and reward points there. Thanks to Tina for the tip.
The Apthorp building at 78th and Broadway is getting two new tenants. They were identified in a real estate brochure spotted by tipster Upper West Sider.
Local pet trainer Cassidy Ingram Dog Training is opening their first brick and mortar location in the former Successful Vision space (252 West 79th St).
And J’s Cleaner’s is opening another location in the former FIKA space at 2211 Broadway).
I had high hopes for Blue Marble at 97th and Bway but honestly its ice cream was just not that good. Below average even. Tasted gritty and not creamy at all. To sell $8 a scoop the least it needs to offer is to taste good.
Could not disagree more. I just tried it last week and considering a pint of ben and jerry’s will run you $6-$6.50, I thought BM was a steal at $8 a pint.
lmao I don’t know where you go shopping but the new Target on 98th and Columbus has B&J for 5 bucks a pint. And a single scoop of a non-basic flavor is 6 bucks pre-tip/tax. No chance they sell a pint for 8.
ok, go to cvs or duane reade and let me know what the price for B&J is?
You are wrong. Go back to BM and ask for a pint. $8 it is.
No cash? No thanks! Legal tender…
I wish blue marble could sell pints of flavors that I choose, not the ones from the freezer that you can find in supermarkets. And what’s with not taking cash? As convenient as it is, it rubs me the wrong way.
They also do not accept cash, which is illegal in NYC since November 2020.
Re: J’s Cleaners, Avenue locations need a cross street also, which you often ignore.
As stated in the article, they’re moving into the Apthorp at 79th & B’way.
Does anyone know what store/restaurant is coming to the corner of West 75 and Columbus?… the NorthWest side of the street? They are making progress and they put in a small elevator plus these small viewing windows to view the progress, but no signage yet.
Blue Marble has interesting sounding flavors, but they won’t give samples to try them. I refuse to go there as a result, but my dad got some. He said it was low in the bin so he asked for a fresh one but they insisted on giving it to him anyway. He said it icy and had freezer burn and was expensive and not good.
Congrats Cassidy!
Janie’s Life-Changing Baked Goods are phenomenal, especially the blueberry, blueberry-lemon, and pecan cookies. The pie-crust bottom provides a terrific crunch and the inside, wow! The flavors are intense, and not too sweet. Welcome to the neighborhood!
As if her life-story wasn’t compelling enough to stop by, your descriptions make it imperative. I’m going Monday for a cup of coffee and some cookies!
Best wishes to Janie…what a great story. She should be an inspiration to everyone, but especially those in crisis. If I still lived in NYC on the UWS, I’d certainly have patronized. Good luck!
Stopped by Janie’s today — the baked goods are outrageous.
Amazing inspiring story about Janie. Can’t wait to support her!!
Surprised by the negative comments for Blue Marble on 97th. My family and I have thoroughly enjoyed the mixed pints we order (e.g. three of our choices in one pint), finding the ice cream rich, flavorful, and of palpably excellent quality all around. The servers are friendly, and the atmosphere is small-town within the big city. So happy for this addition to the neighborhood. And who cares about no cash or free samples? There are tons of establishments these days that don’t accept cash; hardly a dealbreaker for me.
No cash is fine with me. No sampling is a bit more egregious. But overcharging for mediocre ice cream is what I will not stand for.
If Blue Marble is refusing to accept coins or cash payments then they are violating a law that was passed by NYC Council in January 2020 to ban “cashless” restaurants and businesses. Blue Marble opened shops in mixed-income neighborhoods and should acknowledge that many elderly and low income people do not have credit cards and digital devices with payment apps. People can call 911 to file a complaint if Blue Marble violates the law. UNDER THE LAW:*** A business must accept bills in denominations of $20 or under as a payment option. If not, the first violation goes up to $1,000. Then it jumps to $1,500. Businesses are not required to accept bills over $20.
Ridiculous. They’re a business and should be able to operate the way they want (within reason). There are plenty of places to get ice cream. That’s far from the world’s biggest tragedy.
to “Just Sayin” — If you feel Blue Marble is “a business and should be able to operate the way they want (within reason)”…and therefore not take cash, then you can work to change the law. Regardless of what “just sayin” feels, it is against the law in NYC — and that law was enacted to protect low income and elderly residents. Until or unless the law is changed, Blue Marble is breaking the law.
It is safer for the business and customers to apply for a credit card and only carry plastic. You are not responsible for fraudulent charges on a card, but you can get killed for carrying even a small amount of cash. What is needed is not more laws forcing stores to carry dangerous cash, but an available credit card for those with credit issues, or those who cannot get a major card, or someplace like a Municipal Credit Union to assist people get their credit ratings back. We need productive solutions to problems, not more problems on top of problems.
Correction, call 311 to file a complaint.
Not accepting cash hurts minorities the most, as they might not have a credit card. As of November 2020, it is illegal for a small business in NYC to not accept cash. Blue Marble is breaking the law.
I wish Janie well in this endeavor. I feel that a recovery is benefited by building a good life that is worth fighting one’s addiction to maintain and retain. That my recipe for moving forward one day at a time without drugs or alcohol for the past 258 months. I built a life I appreciate and I exercise a lot of gratitude about it too.
Please include cross streets. Thanks, in advance.
Billy’s Bakery on Columbus @ 79th doesn’t accept cash either.
Places were allowed to get around the must accept cash law for a while at the beginning of covid. Initially it was thought that handling cash could spread the virus and also make people stand too close. No excuses now, so businesses: get with the program!
I prefer paying with a credit card but will not patronize a place that is card only. And I tell them why. Some owners have not thought about the inequity or practical matters. Kids can’t buy ice cream?
There’s a vacancy sign up at the corner of 98th and Bdway. Does anyone know if 16 handles that location of closing
I saw that last night, but I think it’s for one of the midblock stores, even though it’s right outside the 16 Handles location.
Was walking from B’way to Amsterdam on 80th last week when Janie’s caught my eye. Went in and bought two pie-crust cookies (totally new to me). Ate the strawberry-rhubarb one on the way home and couldn’t have loved it more — and it was the same with the chocolate chip p-c cookie I had later. Please hang in there, Janie’s Life Changing Cookies!!
Something tells me you probably shouldn’t be spending $8 on a pint of ice cream if your financial situation doesn’t qualify for a credit/debit card.
Kids.
People who don’t want to acrue debt.
Someone out for a run or astroll with just a phone, keys and a few bucks for ice cream emergencies.
Shall I continue?
Assuming that not using a credit card means the person is a deadbeat or doesn’t qualify is offensive.
What if I don’t want my wife to know I’m spending eight bucks on fancy ice cream? Cash = privacy.
Oh thank heavens’ a new barkey is opening! Now if we could just get a few pizza places and deli’s we will be all set!
The regular slice at the year old Pizza Collective by 72nd is unlike any piece of pizza I’ve ever had in my many years on this planet. It is outstanding.
I pay in cash whenever I can and rarely buy online. I have never been hacked or had my identity stolen. My sister, who always pays with ATM or credit card and always shops online has had many problems with being hacked and her finances being stolen. Just saying. CASH IS KING AND ALWAYS WILL BE
I walked by Janie’s Life Changing Baked Goods today and having read your article earlier decided to give it a try. I have to say it was a disappointment. The cookies, while decent, are nothing to rave about, good, but not great. The prices are also an issue. $3.50 for a tiny half-baked cookie is really abusive. You are better off walking to Levain Bakery a few blocks down and get their chocolate walnut cookies, which in my mind remain the best chocolate chip cookies in the city, and by far!