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Openings and Closings: Warby Parker; Jerusalem Restaurant; Café Paradiso; Starbucks; Brown Harris Stevens

March 2, 2023 | 4:41 PM
in COLUMNS, FOOD, NEWS, OPEN/CLOSED
43
Photograph by Lisa Kava.

By Scott Etkin and Lisa Kava

Warby Parker, the eyewear company, opened a new location on Columbus between 80th and 81st Streets on February 25. In a nod to the American Museum of Natural History across the street, this store will house a permanent art collection, “Museum of the Blue-Footed Booby,” which is named after the company’s bird mascot. The collection includes artwork by New York-based artists Maira Kalman, Julia Rothman, Nate Padavick, and Or Gotham. The blue-footed booby, which inspired Warby Parker’s color palette, is native to the continental coasts of the eastern Pacific Ocean. The bird is a “sight to behold: It has style and sophistication in equal measure with humor and curiosity,” a sign on the wall of the store reads.  This location will be the company’s 17th store in NYC.

Photograph by Nicholas.

Jerusalem Restaurant, the longtime falafel shop at 2715 Broadway between 103rd and 104th Streets, has closed. The small restaurant, which served Middle Eastern food and was known for being open late, was established in 1979. “I have been coming here for over a quarter century, and they have never disappointed,” a reviewer on Yelp posted in 2021. There is a “For Rent” sign in the window. (Thanks to Nicholas for the tip.)

Photograph by Scott Etkin.

Café Paradiso, a restaurant serving Italian and American fare, has opened in the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center at Lincoln Center (144 West 65th Street). The restaurant, which replaces Indie Food & Wine, is backed by restaurateur Shelly Fireman, who was raised in the Bronx and lived for 35 years in “Pietrasanta, an artist community outside of Florence,” according to the restaurant’s website. His group of restaurants also includes Bond 45, Fiorella and Trattoria Dell’Arte, among others. Café Paradiso’s current hours are 8am to 5pm daily (the café will be closed March 5th and 6th) and next week they’re planning to start staying open until 8pm. Beer and wine offerings at the Film Center will resume this spring.

Photograph by Lisa Kava.

A Starbucks is opening at the northeast corner of 86th Street and Broadway. The space has been vacant for years – a Banana Republic clothing store used to be there over a decade ago. It’s expected that the new Starbucks will just use half of the vacant space, tipster Jon heard at a nearby Starbucks location. 

Photograph by Scott Etkin.

Brown Harris Stevens, the real estate company, has moved its office from 1926 Broadway to the other side of the block. The new space at 1934 Broadway on the corner of 65th Street, which replaces a Brooks Brothers, covers approximately 17,000 square feet across two floors, a representative told WSR. There’s still some construction going on in the new space, which is expected to be finished this summer. BHS has a 150 year history and specializes in luxury residential listings. It has several offices in NYC and also operates in high-end markets like Westchester, the Hamptons, Connecticut, and Palm Beach. 

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43 Comments
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Janice
Janice
2 years ago

Really sorry to see Jerusalem go. I loved that place.

22
Reply
Upperwesaida
Upperwesaida
2 years ago
Reply to  Janice

Us too. We live around the block and it was a go-to place for us. That makes two places without tenants on that corner.

0
Reply
Molly
Molly
2 years ago
Reply to  Janice

If another “smoke shop” opens in that location there will be a civil war! I hope another Middle East restaurant opens in its place. We loved Jerusalem!!!!!

10
Reply
Ezra's Doppleganger
Ezra's Doppleganger
2 years ago

NOOOO! Jerusalem was so good. It also got a great callout in one of Vampire Weekend’s songs. https://genius.com/Vampire-weekend-finger-back-lyrics

(A bunch of other locations in the UWS and Morningside Heights, including Columbia – where the bandmates graduated from in 2006 – also get callouts in songs.)

22
Reply
Lillie
Lillie
2 years ago
Reply to  Ezra's Doppleganger

I love that it was immortalized in song! Thanks for telling us.

1
Reply
Carmella Ombrella
Carmella Ombrella
2 years ago

Revolving stores! I wonder what a new Starbucks at 86th & Broadway will mean for the one at 86th & Columbus — a space that, years ago, was a Chase bank, IIRC. Chase has now had outlets on three corners of that intersection.
As for Warby Parker, I’ve been a customer their store further south on Columbus and have been happy with their product and service.
I’m just glad to see some retail spaces in the 80s filled by something besides sketchy smoke shops.
PS. Does anyone else remember a tiny bakery tucked next to the old Banana Republic space on Broadway? Really tiny, but the pastries were delicious. It was operated by the late Bernice Yazbek, mother of David Yazbek of Broadway fame.

Last edited 2 years ago by Carmella Ombrella
4
Reply
UWSdr
UWSdr
2 years ago
Reply to  Carmella Ombrella

I did not know that! Yazbek’s “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” is a fantastic musical. (Trying to put on a happy face despite the sad news about Jerusalem…)

1
Reply
Anya
Anya
2 years ago

Devastating to lose Jerusalem. Such good food and nice people.

21
Reply
Judith Regina Norell
Judith Regina Norell
2 years ago

I am so sad that Jerusalem has closed; we have been doing takeout and eat in for so many years. And the people who owned it and worked there were always friendly, even though I sometimes questioned the hygiene. I hope they are well and just decided to retire.

18
Reply
Sarah
Sarah
2 years ago

I’m a little devastated about Jerusalem. We ordered from them at least a couple times per month. They will be missed.

17
Reply
10024er
10024er
2 years ago

Any updates on that new KeyFood on 88th street?

1
Reply
Roberto
Roberto
2 years ago
Reply to  10024er

Whats the address?

0
Reply
Robert
Robert
2 years ago
Reply to  Roberto

2409 Broadway

0
Reply
Roberto
Roberto
2 years ago
Reply to  Robert

I heavily doubt they will put one there. Theres a Keyfood on 86st and Amsterdam.

0
Reply
Old Stones
Old Stones
2 years ago
Reply to  Roberto

That’s 96th and Amsterdam. Twice the size of the previous location a block north and the aisles are every bit as hard to navigate!

0
Reply
Cato
Cato
2 years ago
Reply to  Old Stones

Nope, Roberto is correct. Key Food on Amsterdam between 85 and 86. Been there many years.

3
Reply
Huh
Huh
2 years ago
Reply to  Roberto

There have been official signs in the window for months.

3
Reply
Juan
Juan
2 years ago
Reply to  Roberto

It is clearly marked that they are putting a KeyFood there. I agree that it makes no sense. Unless they are closing the other one which I also doubt.

2
Reply
Kevin F
Kevin F
2 years ago
Reply to  Roberto

They have had signs up for months now indicating a 2023 opening date!

2
Reply
Bob
Bob
2 years ago
Reply to  Roberto

Well, they are. There is window signage there and they’ve signed a lease. It’s possible they’ll have the same owner (each Key Foods is independently owned, and there are other examples in the city of identical nearby supermarkets with same ownership).

2
Reply
UWS Curious
UWS Curious
2 years ago

/would like to know why Jerusalem closed, did he retire? Too much rent? and if they will be opening somewhere else on the Westside. The person working always said with a straight face ” “see you tomorrow” ,..alas I guess I won’t.
I love Mom and Pop stores, sadly they are becoming fewer and fewer.
Make way for the big puff of oddly smelling Smoke on the street.

13
Reply
Sal Bando
Sal Bando
2 years ago
Reply to  UWS Curious

I’m halfway between Jerusalem and Mamoun’s. When Mamoun’s opened I stopped going to Jerusalem. It’s better.

1
Reply
Myra
Myra
2 years ago

Whatever happened to Everbody? West Side Rag said opening last Nov. Did they abandon their plans?

0
Reply
Emily
Emily
2 years ago
Reply to  Myra

They’re opening next week

0
Reply
Chuck D
Chuck D
2 years ago

NO! Jerusalem was the go-to. This neighborhood is in shambles. I hope they find a home again soon.

11
Reply
Fred
Fred
2 years ago

There is already a Starbucks only 2 blocks away Bdwy awZy, 88th andBriafway

1
Reply
Diane
Diane
2 years ago
Reply to  Fred

the one on Broadway 88th will close

0
Reply
Roberto
Roberto
2 years ago
Reply to  Fred

Another on Columbus 86st.

1
Reply
life long upper-west-sider
life long upper-west-sider
2 years ago
Reply to  Roberto

Another on B’way/81st and B’way 75th.

0
Reply
Correction
Correction
2 years ago

Re Starbucks: Pretty sure you mean NW corner and not NE… that’s where banana republic was located

2
Reply
life long upper-west-sider
life long upper-west-sider
2 years ago
Reply to  Correction

Correct

0
Reply
Jenny
Jenny
2 years ago
Reply to  Correction

Banana Republic was actually on both corners over the years. It started on NE corner and then moved to NW corner after The Gap vacated the space.

3
Reply
Coco
Coco
2 years ago
Reply to  Correction

Actually the BR originally was on the NE corner and the Gap was at the NW corner. When the Gap closed, BR moved across the street to occupy that shot before closing permanently.

0
Reply
Riva Atlas
Riva Atlas
2 years ago
Reply to  Correction

No Banana Republic was on the NE side before it moved across the street.

2
Reply
Sam
Sam
2 years ago
Reply to  Correction

Actually, the BR was on the NE corner and a Gap on the NW corner. The Gap closed and the BR moved to the NW corner and the NE corner remained empty. Technically the story is correct … the last tenant on the NE corner was a BR.

1
Reply
HAF
HAF
2 years ago
Reply to  Correction

Banana Republic was actually in both of those locations. First on the NE corner (around s 005) and then it moved across the street to the NW corner.

0
Reply
Danny
Danny
2 years ago
Reply to  Correction

I think the address is correct, but the location used to be a Club Monaco, not BR.

2
Reply
rteplow
rteplow
2 years ago
Reply to  Danny

It was a Banana Republic many years ago, in the 1980s.

3
Reply
Lisa
Lisa
2 years ago

Honestly I wouldn’t call any of these openings exciting. I was getting sad yesterday remembering shopping at Gracious Home. Now THAT was a store.

10
Reply
EGB
EGB
2 years ago

I’m so sad about Jerusalem. It’s such a great place, and the people are so nice. I hope, as others have said, it was not because the rent has sky-rockted, and it was instead a happy lifestyle change. But I’m pretty sure it’s the former, not the latter. Sigh.

2
Reply
DDion
DDion
2 years ago

Ate falafel at Jerusalem for decades. Another one gone for something new and useless.

4
Reply
Mutaman
Mutaman
2 years ago
Reply to  DDion

Does anyone know whats going on with the Belnord Hotel on West 87th Street? They are not taking room reservations again but it seems to be open.

0
Reply
Max G
Max G
2 years ago

Like everyone, I’m extremely sad to see Jerusalem no longer be apart of the UWS community … Happy to have ordered from them one last time a week ago

1
Reply

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