By Scott Etkin and Lisa Kava
Stand Up NY, the longtime comedy club at 236 West 78th Street, is planning to move to two new locations, one in Times Square and one near Lincoln Center. Dani Zoldan, owner of Stand Up NY, said on a call with West Side Rag that he expects the new location at 46th Street and Broadway to open March 14th and that the timeframe is less defined for the new location at 66th and Broadway. In the meantime, the current club remains open and there is no set closing date.
Stand Up NY was founded in 1986 and purchased by Zoldan and Gabriel Waldman in 2008. Zoldan said that the plans to relocate are primarily driven by a decrease in people staying out late at night on the Upper West Side since Covid. The existing 78th Street location is expected to be taken over by New York Comedy Club. A representative from that company, which also has locations in Midtown and the East Village, confirmed this but did have details yet on the timing of the changeover. Speaking at a recent Community Board 7 meeting, Emilio Savone of New York Comedy Club expressed a similar sentiment about how comedy clubs have struggled in recent years. “Since Covid, comedy has taken a hit. Three major clubs have left the city. […] Us and another club called the Comedy Cellar have really been the two that have thrived. We feel like it’s important to keep comedy going.”
Play Street Museum, an indoor activity and educational space for children ages one through eight years old, opened at 805 Columbus Avenue (near 100th Street) on February 17th. Reservations can be made during the day or after school for drop-in play. It can also be booked for birthday parties and field trips. Play Street operates on a franchise model and the UWS location will be the first one in New York City. James Payne, general manager and owner of the UWS location, learned about Play Street a couple of years ago when on a trip to Texas with his family –- he and his wife took their kids to one to get out of the heat. Payne has lived in New York City for a decade, previously on the UWS and now in Harlem. His wife, who is a nurse, will also work at Play Street part-time. “There is an [indoor] play desert between the Children’s Museum of Manhattan and the Sugar Hill Museum up on 155th,” Payne said on a call with West Side Rag. “So to be able to provide this for families and caregivers of little ones uptown is a dream come true.”
Dragon 89, a Chinese restaurant, opened three weeks ago at 610 Amsterdam Avenue between 89th and 90th streets. Dragon 89 offers traditional Cantonese Chinese dishes for takeout and delivery and there are two tables inside. Simon, the manager, told WSR that there are a few other Dragon restaurants under the same ownership on the Upper East Side. This is the first full-menu Dragon on the Upper West Side, however there is Dragon Sushi (sushi only) on 123rd and Amsterdam, he said. The space used to be another Chinese takeout restaurant called Uncle Luoyang.
Le Labo, the fragrance and perfume brand, is opening at 205 Columbus (between 69th and 70th). It is replacing Marine Layer, the clothing brand which is moving a few blocks north to 420 Columbus (between 80th and 81st). Le Labo opened its first location in Nolita in 2006. It now has stores across the country – the UWS location will be its 10th in Manhattan. (Thanks to Kara and David for the tips.)
L’Occitane, the French skin and body care store, has signage up at 416 Columbus (corner of 80th Street). Founded in 1976 in Provence, L’Occitane is a global brand selling soaps, moisturizing creams, and other skin, body and hair care products for women and men. The company is also a certified B Corp., which means it is held to a higher standard in terms of fair trade practices and sustainability. There are a few boutiques in Manhattan, including a pop-up at the Turnstyle concourse at Columbus Circle. L’Occitane had two longtime stores on the UWS at 69th and Columbus and 76th and Broadway, which closed in January 2021 when the parent company filed for bankruptcy and shuttered 23 stores. It appears that the company was able to reorganize and restructure its lease portfolio in August 2021. Scotch and Soda, a clothing store that closed in May 2023 was previously in the space. (Thanks to Billy for the tip.)
Consignment on 72nd, a luxury designer consignment boutique, is holding its grand opening on Saturday, February 24th from noon to 6 p.m., at 133 West 72nd Street (between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues). There will be “giveaways” and champagne. The boutique will feature luxury brands such as: Louis Vuitton, Dior, Gucci, Prada, Hermes, Armani, Elie Tahari, among others.
Consignment on 72nd had a “soft opening” on December 9th. “The soft opening allowed us to connect with consignors and stock the store with beautiful inventory,” Victoria Shaffer, designer and collaborator wrote to WSR in an email. “We were able to move racks around and work out kinks based on preliminary engagement with customers. We are so excited to officially open our doors.” Hours will be Tuesdays through Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 7 p.m. If you are interested in giving away luxury brands from your closet, you can make an appointment for consignment consideration, which takes place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The space was formerly an AT&T store.
Subscribe to West Side Rag’s FREE email newsletter here.
“Giving away luxury brands” – that’s not exactly how consignment works.
The seems to have been a proliferation of comedy stores. Seemed to be “easy money” as many wannabes, the performers, fight for the limited number of spots at no pay, with the MC the only one getting minimal pa.y.
They are talented, so this is not a knock on their talent. No different than the number of performers available for Broadway for its limited number of spots.
They do get free drinks, and if food is served, an inexpensive meal.
I say this from hanging out at Catch during the late 70’s and 80’s. I doubt the situation has changed.
Anyone know what happened to the new Village Square Pizza at 2479 Broadway? They have been closed for several weeks (I assume gas or Con Ed or similar issue). This is the *best* pizza in the neighborhood.
Two questions:
1. What was previously in the playtime location? Was it a school (I think it was Mandell for a while)? Did they take the whole space – the school was pretty big.
2. What happened to the plan to move the Children’s Museum to the old church on CPW? That was a big topic a while ago then I have heard nothing for ages. Great topic for one of your excellent follow-up stories. Thanks!
I’m also wondering about the Children’s Museum moving. I emailed them a month or two ago and have not heard back. I would love for someone to look into this.
Is the Stand Up NY new location at 66th and Broadway going to be in the Century 21 location? I can’t think of another empty storefront near that intersection
A 3’story comedy club?
Hence my question. I suppose they could divide the space.
That Stand -Up NY leaves the neighborhood is excellent news. It never was a Comedy Club; it was an Obscenity Club at best.
About 10 years ago we had friends from upstate New York who wanted a fun experience in NYC. We thought Stand-Up NY would offer us a pleasant and entertaining evening. What we got instead was an endless string of four-letter words, obscenities, vulgarities, and scatological comments. Gutter stuff at its worst. An insult to genuine comedy.
This club will never move far enough from our neighborhood. It was, and perhaps still is, the most pathetic and revolting display of American “humor”.
You realize every comic is different, right? You hated the comic or comics you saw. Not the club. Also, it’s being replaced by another comedy club which will likely feature comics who use four-letter words so it’s not exactly a sea change.
Wait. So you went one time, found the show to be too obscene for you, and the decided that all the shows done there are bad?
I also know that in life one only has one chance to leave a good first impression.
I saw Patrice O’Neal there somewhere 2008 – 2010. Best comedy club experience I’ve ever had.
100% disagree with this.
I honestly don’t know anyone that still wears perfume or cologne.
I wear L’Occitane cologne for many years and still do and one of my favorite stores right up the street from me now, 👍🤗 I can’t be happier!
L’Occitane is about much more than perfume and cologne.
L’Occitane is a very high-end store chain throughout the world of French skin and body care for men and women. It is a very classy store to have in somebody’s neighborhood and a welcome as well.
Quite frankly, this kind of store will be an attraction to other larger high-end store chains food or clothing.
I hope they bring back the manager of the 69th st location. She was the best!
Ask any comedian. It’s not covid that killed comedy in some areas.
The answer is: “It was the New Generation that killed the comedian….”🤔