Openings and Closings: The Niche Shop; Taïm Mediterranean Kitchen; José-Ismael Barber Shop; Alo Yoga; Duke’s Deli II

By Scott Etkin and Lisa Kava

The Niche Shop, a vintage clothing store, is opening at 2206 Broadway between 78th and 79th streets (formerly Blossom Jewelry) on September 8th. The shop will carry secondhand women’s and unisex clothes, as well as home decor, which owner Nichole Sesti sources herself from vintage wholesalers and thrift stores (they don’t accept donations). “I like to say that the store is like an extension of my personal closet,” she said in a call with WSR. “Everything I put in there is something I really love and personally would wear.”

Nichole parlayed the success of her blog about secondhand shopping into a pop-up and then the first retail location of The Niche Shop, which she opened last year on the Upper East Side. Fashion’s negative environmental impact is one of the reasons she got into thrift shopping. “[It’s] the second most polluting industry in the world and one of the ways I felt I could make a difference was what I put in my closet.” To her, vintage shopping is also more fun. “There’s an element of ‘the thrill of the hunt,’” she said. “No two garments are alike.” 

Taïm Mediterranean Kitchen, a quick service falafel chain, is coming to 2485 Broadway between 92nd and 93rd Streets. The space used to be Cleopatra’s Needle, the restaurant that closed in 2019 after 30 years. Taïm, which means “tasty” in Hebrew, began in the West Village and now has 15 locations, nine of which are in NYC, a representative from the company told the Rag. (The spokesperson confirmed the opening but could not provide a date.) Manhattan locations include Flatiron, Midtown, and Wall Street. Taim can also be found in Brooklyn, Long Island, Washington DC, New Jersey, and Maryland. Taïm serves falafel in bowls or in a pita – customers can pick and choose toppings to create their own meal. (Thanks to Anna for the tip.) 

José-Ismael Barber Shop has opened at 2581 Broadway between 97th and 98th Streets. José, the owner, said in a call with WSR that he also has a shop in the Bronx and this is his first location in Manhattan. He also said he plans to offer discounts on slower days. The space used to be a different barbershop, Isaac Scissorhands. 

Alo Yoga, the popular athleisure clothing brand, plans to open this fall on the ground floor of the Shops at Columbus Circle (59th Street). Alo, which stands for “Air, Land, Ocean”, was founded in Los Angeles in 2007. The brand also has its own yoga studios, including locations in Flatiron and Williamsburg. The space was previously Michael Kors, the clothing and accessories brand. (Thanks to Melinda for the tip.)

Duke’s Deli II has signage up 774 Amsterdam (corner of 98th Street) at the former location of Moonrise Izakaya, which closed in November 2022. We’ll post an update when we have more info. (Thanks to Ian for the tip.)

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