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Openings and Closings: Joe Coffee; ChaShaMa; Allure; Play Street Museum

August 16, 2023 | 11:56 AM
in ART, FOOD, NEWS, OPEN/CLOSED
25
Photographs by Scott Etkin.

By Scott Etkin and Lisa Kava

Joe Coffee has signage up at 2058 Broadway between 70th and 71st Streets. Joe Coffee’s first location opened in 2003 in Greenwich Village and there are now several in NYC including a couple on the UWS along Columbus at 85th Street (since 2009) and 68th Street. At least 80% of its coffee is sourced from Rainforest Alliance certified producers, which takes into account social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The new space used to be Blue Marble, the ice cream shop. (Thanks to Melinda for the tip.)

ChaShaMa, the art gallery at 697 Amsterdam Avenue (on the corner of 94th Street) that’s being run in partnership with the West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, has started its fourth exhibition. Now being showcased until September 10th are two local photographers: Myles Tate, an UWS-based portrait and fashion photographer, who has an “explosive, flashy, and surreal perspective” according to the gallery’s website; and Brooklyn-based Neriah McBain, a commercial and portrait photographer as well as a lighting tech and overall visual artist. The gallery was originally planned to run temporarily for six months, but now the arrangement is ongoing and no end date is set. It is free to the public and open daily from 4pm to 8pm. 

Allure, a bar and restaurant, has signage up at 250 W. 77th Street between Broadway and West End, in the Belleclaire Hotel. The new establishment is backed by City Nights Hospitality, which runs 48LOUNGE in Rockefeller Center and Ascent Lounge in Deutsche Bank Center (formerly Time Warner Center). The space was previously used as an entrance to the hotel. Construction is underway though details aren’t available at the moment – we’ll post an update when possible. The Belleclaire, which opened in 1903, is one of the city’s oldest luxury hotels. (Thanks to Bob and Dan for the tips.) 

Photograph by James.

Play Street Museum, an interactive indoor play area for kids, is opening at 805 Columbus (near 99th Street). Play Street’s spaces are set up for activities that “encourage independence, exploration and creativity.” The venues can also be rented for private parties and events. Play Street has several locations across the country. The UWS space has been vacant for a few years but was formerly a Petco. (Thanks to James for the tip.)

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25 Comments
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Jaimie
Jaimie
1 year ago

Does anyone know why the fruit stand on Broadway between 77 and 78 closed? They said it was for an inspection and then in a few days cops were there shutting them down. They were wonderful. Are they going to reopen?

5
Reply
Jayvee
Jayvee
1 year ago
Reply to  Jaimie

They’re open as of today! I passed by about an hour ago.

1
Reply
Joanie
Joanie
1 year ago
Reply to  Jaimie

I believe he needed to acquire a License and will hopefully return.

1
Reply
Jayvee
Jayvee
1 year ago
Reply to  Joanie

I hope they return too. The fella that was there in the early mornings, before 9 or so, was always so pleasant and nice, and would wave and say hello when I’d pass by. I loved making his business a part of my routine.

1
Reply
UWS-er
UWS-er
1 year ago
Reply to  Jaimie

When the cops were packing up his stuff I asked one of them what happened. He told me the there was “illegal activity” and noted that the tent was hammered into the sidewalk as an example. He also mentioned health code violations. He said the fruit seller could return and reopen if everything is ironed out and done legally, but it’s probably not so easy.

2
Reply
Boris
Boris
1 year ago
Reply to  Jaimie

I’m elated that stand was finally closed down. They spread out way too much and kept their supply truck parked there 24/7 depriving transient drivers from parking there and preventing the street sweepers from properly cleaning a large part of the street which was disgusting.

5
Reply
Eric
Eric
1 year ago
Reply to  Jaimie

I walked by the day last week when there were 8 (yes, eight) police, guarding and dismantling the empty stand. I was told by a worker at the pharmacy by the stand that they ran afoul of the licensing.

This fruit stand was great with some of the most pleasant guys working there you’d ever want to meet, and —not for nothing—provided another sense of security on the block. We can’t have useful things like 24-hour fruit stands, but we have to put up with unused, rat-ridden, and unsightly restaurant sheds (yes, I’m pointing the finger at you, Blondie’s and Coppola’s…)

A real miss on the part of the City.

10
Reply
MikeDNyc
MikeDNyc
1 year ago
Reply to  Eric

I wonder who instigated a crackdown on that fruit stand? Good produce. Great prices. Friendly, efficient proprietor.
Who’d he tick off?

0
Reply
Boris
Boris
1 year ago
Reply to  MikeDNyc

How about recognizing the fact that they didn’t operate their business properly like others are forced to do? It’s easy to have great prices when one doesn’t have the expenses of a brick-and-mortar store and has free warehouse space by parking a truck 24/7 on a city street that should be cleaned regularly and/or allowed to be used by others for short-term parking.

I’d like to see a crackdown on the NYPD traffic officers who routinely look the other way when cars are parked illegally by vendors and construction workers who put traffic cones and safety vests on their dashboards. None of these people should be entitled to parking in our neighborhood.

3
Reply
Karen
Karen
1 year ago

There is a new shop on Amsterdam just south of 98th Street which has two fitness opportunities, according to the signs out front: Fitbody, which lists senior fitness, individuals and groups, strength training and weight management (846 319 9658) and Golden Glove by Leslie (obviously boxing) info@centralparkboxing.com

4
Reply
Carmella Ombrella
Carmella Ombrella
1 year ago

Just a bit curious about the art gallery sponsored by the West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing: What does the name ChaShaMa signify? And what does “in partnership with…” the organization mean?

0
Reply
good humor
good humor
1 year ago
Reply to  Carmella Ombrella

https://chashama.org/

1
Reply
Carmella Ombrella
Carmella Ombrella
1 year ago
Reply to  good humor

Thanks for the link, good humor. Very impressive Web site, but I still don’t know what the name means, whether it’s an acronym or a word in a non-English language. As I said, just a bit curious.

0
Reply
LC
LC
1 year ago
Reply to  Carmella Ombrella

It means “to have vision” in Farsi.

2
Reply
caly
caly
1 year ago
Reply to  Carmella Ombrella

On the website under FAQ it reads: What does Chashama mean?
Chashama (pronounced: sha-SHAH-ma) means “to have vision” in Farsi.

1
Reply
Carmella Ombrella
Carmella Ombrella
1 year ago
Reply to  caly

Lovely! Sorry I missed it, and thank you.

2
Reply
Maria
Maria
1 year ago

Love Joe’s Coffee and happy to see they will re-open on Broadway. I used to go there frequently when they were on Amsterdam betw 73/74. Nice staff and good pastries.

3
Reply
Mark P
Mark P
1 year ago
Reply to  Maria

I hope and expect they will get more business at this location – old one was right next to Blue Bottle though Joe got there first…

0
Reply
Susan
Susan
1 year ago

Belleclaire might be one of the city’s oldest luxury hotels in the turn of the century but for many years it was far from that, serving as a single room occupancy hotel and more recently housed the homeless when DeBlasio shifted many there from shelters during the height of COVID. Many tourists and airline crews have stayed there in recent years. Not a luxury clientele any longer.

13
Reply
Tostonesfix
Tostonesfix
1 year ago
Reply to  Susan

I too found the “luxury hotel” description for the Belleclaire odd. Maybe it was luxury in 1910 but I wouldn’t exactly put it in the same category of the Peninsula.It’s the kind of place your cheap relatives stay when the come to visit.

2
Reply
Mike
Mike
1 year ago
Reply to  Susan

Mother in law had a 11 night stay booked in September there. Hotel cancelled with no notice or valid explanation. Only offered up a room at double the cost. Scam artists. Luckily the art house hotel nearby is lovely

2
Reply
Leon
Leon
1 year ago

The play space reminded me that the children’s museum was supposed to be moving not far from there on CPW. Whatever happened to that?

3
Reply
Deirdre MacGuire
Deirdre MacGuire
1 year ago

Does anyone know what’s up with Cafe Lalo on west 83rd Street?? It closed at the beginning of covid, but still has all its furnishings inside, as if ready to re-open at a moment’s notice. The sign says it is closed for renovations, but obviously not.

5
Reply
Ryo
Ryo
1 year ago
Reply to  Deirdre MacGuire

Last I heard last year was the owner was still refusing to open due to a rent disagreement with the landlord. The rumor was the landlord worked with the owner on rent during the hard lockdowns but when the owner refused to open back up at various points during the reopening after the pandemic, the landlord wants the back rent now. The owner of Cafe Lalo is stating some far stretched law against the landlord. Not sure what the fate of the place is. At this point, Cafe Lalo had plenty of opportunities to reopen if the owner wanted to. I can’t fault the landlord anymore at this point.

0
Reply
Lil
Lil
1 year ago

So sad they are gone for now. Who else are you going to get to work there at 3am in all kinds of weather, making passersby at all hours feel a little safer. Making it easy to pick up that little something you forgot to get at the grocery store? Why don’t they pick on something actually harming the neighborhood like the shoplifting rings?

6
Reply

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