By Scott Etkin and Lisa Kava
P.C. Richard & Son, the family-owned electronics, computer and appliance chain store, is moving from 2372 Broadway (87th Street) to 2220 Broadway (79th Street), the large space formerly occupied by Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW). The business has roots back to Peter Christian Richard, who was born in Amsterdam, immigrated to the United States as a young man, and in the early 1900s started a small hardware store in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. The fifth generation of the family is now involved in running the business, which has dozens of retail showrooms in the tri-state area. The new space has been empty since February 2022. Prior to DSW, it was the home of Filene’s Basement.
West Side Kids, the iconic Upper West Side toy store, has moved around the corner from 498 Amsterdam (84th Street) to 201 West 84th Street (between Amsterdam and Broadway), the former home of John Koch Antiques, which moved to Long Island City in November. West Side Kids is a family business that has been in the neighborhood for 42 years. Jennifer Bergman bought the store from her mother Alice in 2010. WSR wrote about the plan for the move here.
Six 60 One, a kosher grocery store, has signage up at 661 Amsterdam between 92nd and 93rd Streets. The large market will have a deli, bakery, butcher, plus pizza, sushi, and catering. In 2019, West Side Rag reported that the space was acquired by an upscale kosher grocer, The Market Place, in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. The space used to be the kosher grocery store Seasons.
Blue Marble, the ice cream shop at 71st Street and Broadway, has closed. The decision to consolidate allows the company to “turn focus toward the 97th Street [and Broadway] location and our thriving wholesale business,” wrote Jennie Dundas, the owner, in a message to WSR. Blue Marble opened at the 71st Street location in March last year. (Thanks to Alisa for the tip.)
Tempur-pedic, the memory foam mattress store, is opening on the corner of Broadway and 70th Street. Founded thirty years ago, Tempur-pedic has stores across the country, including one already in Manhattan at 58th Street and Third. The space has been vacant for the past few years – previously it was a branch of Chase Bank.
Ample Hills Creamery, the ice cream shop on Amsterdam between 85th and 86th Streets, which has been closed since December, is reopening on July 16th, National Ice Cream Day. The shop will be the same as it was before, Jackie Cuscuna, a co-owner, said on a call with WSR, though she said that some new products are planned for the fall. Cuscuna and her husband, Brian Smith, recently acquired back the business after it was sold in bankruptcy a few years ago. They have started reopening the ice cream shops one by one, including the chain’s original location, which opened in 2011, in Brooklyn last month. “There’s been so much positivity and excitement by the community,” she said about the reopening in Brooklyn. “This is where we live, so […] it’s been a really sweet, warm welcome from people we hadn’t seen in a while.”
Baker Health, a concierge medical practice, is opening at 21 West End (60th Street). Baker Health runs on a membership model and offers adult primary care, pediatric care, and prenatal and postpartum care. Dr. Zeyad Baker launched the company in February 2022. There are two other locations in Edgewater and Paramus, New Jersey. The space used to be a SoulCycle. (Thanks to Joy for the tip.)
MotherShuckers, the Brooklyn-based oyster company, is operating a cart this summer at Lincoln Center’s plaza (64th Street and Columbus). It is open on Wednesday to Sunday, 6pm to 11pm, through August 14th. MotherShuckers also has locations at the Pier 57 Food Hall, Union Square, Flatbush, and Midtown.
Marinara Pizza is opening at 2578 Broadway between 97th and 98th Streets. It replaces Cafe Viva Gourmet Pizza, which closed in August last year. Mariana has a few other locations in the city, including one on the UWS at 483 Amsterdam and 83rd Street. (Thanks to Steve for the tip.)
Mimi’s Pizza has signage up at 2393 Broadway (between 87th and 88th Streets,) at the former home of Sforno pizza, which recently closed. Mimi’s, which also has a location on East 86th Street, serves traditional pizzas, grandma pizzas and specialty pizzas. A representative from Mimi’s told WSR that they plan to renovate the space and hope to open “in a few months.” (Thanks to Bianca for the tip.)
Fieldtrip, a rice bowl shop, is opening its third location on July 19th at 2913 Broadway (between 113th and 114th Streets). Fieldtrip serves a variety of rice bowls including chicken, beef, salmon, shrimp, veggie and a quinoa falafel bowl. It was started by Chef JJ Johnson, a James Beard Award-winning chef, TV personality and author.
Blue Marble’s ice cream is more expensive than other brands I know, but it is also tastier!
I disagree. Their smallest serving cost only $5. Everyone else charges $6.50 and up
This historical website has a pic of that 79th/Bway corner before it was Woolworth’s.
https://www.upperwestsidehistory.org/blogs/bloomingdale-neighborhood-stores-part-two
Woolworths was absolutely wonderful. I sure do miss that store. Today, there is not a store nearly as wonderful as Woolworths. They had everything you would want!!!
I enjoyed the blog entry, that was my Woolworth’s when I moved to 80th & Broadway in 1980. I noticed in the 1957 photo of the store — there was no subway entrance on the Broadway sidewalk yet.
Thanks for the link. I loved looking at my old neighborhood – LONG before it way MY neighborhood.
But I do remember my first Christmas on the UWS right out of college and buying Christmas tree decorations at the Woolworths on B’way.
Wow, thx for posting. Hope people will join / support the great work of Bloomingdale History Group.
Thank you for sharing!
Love those old photos. Thank you for sharing.
That’s a wonderful site, UWSer; thanks.
Oh dear. Short memory. Prior to Filene, it was (for my entire childhood on the UWS) the dite of Woolworth’s. Sorely missed, still.
And between the time of Woolworth’s and Filene I am quite sure it was a Toys ‘R” us.
Circa 1977. I recall it was looted during the NYC blackout of 1977.
I, wife, friends happened to be hanging out at the Dublin House the moment the lights went out and soon after the looting began
Kinda scary.
I moved to the neighborhood in 1993 and I remember that space housing a Child World at the time.
There’s something about oysters from a cart that makes me nervous…
On the other hand, if it’s their specialty and focus, perhaps it’s at least as safe as eating them at a restaurant…
Cute new shop Lungta which sells scarves and linens from Tibet.
Columbus near 71st?
MotherShuchers, what a wonderful idea, Who doesn’t love the idea of raw shellfish from a street cart, combined with an Oedipus complex name?
Mariana Pizza gave away free pizza yesterday. A nice housewarming.
Field trip is a huge get. JJ Johnson is amazing and I really hope this location does well.
Fieldtrip is fantastic! Love that I can get it closer than 116/Lenox
Great to have another kosher store!
Prices on Broadway are out of control!
None of these places will last unless all the scaffolding comes down blocking them.
Only 1 of these stores has scaffolding in front.
But the point is well made: due to local law 11 there will be a sidewalk sheds in front of all these stores at some point in the next five years. The store will see foot traffic drop by 30%. These inspections are not necessary and the fact that the sheds stay up for so long is hugely difficult for these neighborhood businesses. Repeal or reform local law 11!
I am so excited for Six 60 One opening up! I have been waiting for another kosher grocery store to open up since Seasons closed. This is wonderful wonderful news for the neighborhood. Please Gd they should stay in business for many years!
I will terribly miss the Blue Marble. Their smallest serving of ice-cream cost only $5 (sprinkles included!), and there’s simply no other ice-cream vendor that would come close to this price, everything else starts at $6.50 if not more.
Continued Success! Would love “Sugar Free” &/or “No Sugar Added options. Thanks, in advance
Correction:
SForno’s was located on Bway. 88-89th St.
Does anyone know why there are so many empty storefronts on the west side of Broadway in the high 80s? It can’t just be the rent as other places are opening. Also, why are the two north corners on 86th and Broadway still not rented after more than 10 years? (Banana Republic was the last tenant).