Le French Wine Shop, located on the Southeast corner of Amsterdam between 67th and 68th Street, is now in its soft opening phase. The shop is affiliated with Vin Sur Vingt, which operates several wine bars in NYC, including one on 84th Street off Columbus. The shop will host classes and tastings once the hard open takes place, likely the week of January 23. It replaces Tower West Cleaners.
El Fish Shack, a New England-style seafood restaurant, is coming to the Northeast corner of Amsterdam between 66th and 67th Street. The chefs behind the restaurant are Julian Medina and Louis Skibar of the Toloache Restaurant Group, which includes Toloache, Tacuba, Coppelia and Cuba Restaurant & Rum Bar. (Louis Skibar recently reopened Old John’s Diner.) El Fish Shack already has a location in Astoria. It replaces Sunflower Deli & Grocery. (Thanks to Andrea for the tip.)
Miriam, an Israeli restaurant, is now open on 74th and Amsterdam. As WSR previously reported, Miriam replaces Recolte, the Taiwanese-French bakery. Miriam’s existing Brooklyn location is a popular brunch spot.
Chabad of the Upper West Side has opened an annex on the corner of 93rd and Amsterdam. Chabad is an Orthodox Jewish synagogue, educational and cultural center. Chabad has been part of the Upper West Side since 1984, including a location on 97th Street and Amsterdam. It fills the vacancy left by Sunflower Café, a kosher restaurant. (Thanks to Naomi for the tip.)
Omonia Café is expected to open in March on 108th Street and Broadway. Originally, Omonia served Greek and Italian pastries and has expanded its menu to breakfast, lunch and dinner. Established in 1977, Omonia has locations in Astoria and Bayridge. It replaces Hoshi Coupe, the hair salon. (Thanks to Tracy for the tip.)
JustFoodForDogs is coming to Broadway and 70th Street, replacing the HSBC. (We don’t have a date yet, but we’re working on it.) “The dog food company is best known for healthy options and their Petco partnership,” writes tipster Upper West Sider. Tipster Nadine C. writes, “This will be the premier first shop to be opened — a big deal for this company. I’m so totally looking forward to have them here.”
It’s fascinating how many restaurants are opening in Brooklyn or Queens and then establishing a second location on the UWS. I wonder if they’re using the lower rents there to build reputation and experience before paying the much higher rents here — but in any event it’s interesting to see.
Yes.
It’s called proof of concept then moves to Manhattan.
They don’t all succeed.
Just like theatre 🙂
So wonderful to read a full page of only openings and no closings.
Sunflower closed. Yea
Interesting that 2 of the places that are being replace were both called Sunflower. Sunflower Deli and Sunflower Café
Z Baby clothes on 72nd and Columbus is having a liquidation sale. Seems as if they are closing. Flanking either side was the Swatch store and Rickys. Swatch is empty and Rickys will become a Dr’s office after sitting vacant for a couple years. If you can’t survive on the corner of 72nd and Columbus, that says a lot. Pretty much the Times Square of the UWS.
Sadly, there’s nothing left to close. Blocks of dark shuttered stores with homeless sleeping in doorways. The UWS (especially Broadway @68th-88th) has become an inconvenient wasteland neighborhood. So if a dog food store opens, well I hope they make it; but it certainly won’t lessen the failure of the UWS.
Weird – I’m still finding it a rather nice place to live.
Lyriclark,
Since you’re obviously not homeless and sleeping on the street, what have you done about this besides complain? Have you contacted your council member, volunteered, donated money? Instead of being miserable, why don’t you help focus on solutions? Throwing up your hands is a waste of time.
Just Food For Dogs Great company. My dog.loves their food! Welcome to the neighborhood. Not sure how this will impact Petco, which has been carrying their food for a long time – but first premier shop for the company so I’m impressed that they chose the UWS.
Just a heads up Miriam is on the northwest corner of west 74th St.
Thank you. Fixed!
I’m thrilled we won’t have two empty spaces on the corner of 67th and Amsterdam anymore (it’s been years since Sunflower closed, which is actually on the SOUTHeast corner, not the northeast). I wish both El Fish Shack and Le French Wine Shop much success and welcome them to the neighborhood.
Misread that my apologies
The Miriam menu looks amazing!
I wish Miriam every success (genuinely) – but boy, do I miss some of the things from Recolte!
Happy to see a New England style fish restaurant opening on the west side.
However, being a New Englander, born in RI, no menu would be complete without two New England staples… clam cakes and fried clams, with the bellies and tartar sauce.
Do hope El Fish Shack reads this and adds those two choices to the menu.
And if they need the clam cake recipe, I’d be happy to send it to them.
Mermaid Inn is exactly that and has been around for 10+ years – great spot.
Is this the future for retail stores in Manhattan? Look at neighborhoods in decline and the first thing you see is Church storefronts because the landlords can’t fill the space.
Chabad isn’t a church. Jews don’t go to church.
There’s nothing wrong with store front religious establishments. This space had been occupied by two kosher establishments prior to this and something WSR didn’t mention is there is going to be a kosher cafe as part of the Chabad Annex.
Rite Aid at 50th and 8th is closing.
https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-rite-aid-manhattan-closing-thefts-20220121-cjftty46azcxpfhr5kmyauii5q-story.html
Malin + Goetz took the former Swatch store.