By Scott Etkin and Lisa Kava
Gelateria Gentile, an Italian gelato shop, is opening at the corner of West 84th Street at 498 Amsterdam Avenue. They expect to open in approximately two weeks, workers told West Side Rag. The Italian Gentile family started the business in Southern Italy in 1880. Now Gelateria Gentile has four other locations in New York City: Williamsburg, the West Village, University Place, and in Nolita. In addition to gelato, they serve coffee and pastries. West Side Kids, the longtime toy store that relocated around the corner last year, was formerly in the space. (Thanks to Jeff for the tip.)
Cathedral Dog & Cat Hospital, the longtime veterinarian at 229 West 101st Street is closing on July 3rd. Cathedral has continuously served the neighborhood since the early 1950s and has been under the direction of Dr. Henry Fierman since 1977, according to the company’s website. In a letter to clients, Dr. Fierman wrote that the closing is due to “health and other personal reasons.” Medical records for the pets under their care can be picked up from Cathedral or transferred to Brilliant Veterinary Care at 641 Amsterdam. “We have greatly valued our relationships and leave with wonderful memories,” he wrote. (Thanks to Blaine for the tip.)
Moka & Co., a Yemeni coffee shop, is coming to 2481 Broadway between West 92nd and 93rd streets. The plan is to have a soft opening on Friday, June 14, a representative from Moka’s location in Astoria, Queens, told the Rag. Yemen’s history as a coffee exporter out of the port city of Mocha dates back to the 1700s. In addition to traditional coffee drinks, the menu includes specialty items like a pistachio latte, saffron latte, and other teas that feature spices like cardamom, ginger, and cloves. Moka also has an East Side location and a few others in Michigan and Kentucky. Telio, the Greek-Italian restaurant that relocated in 2022 to share a storefront with Good Enough to Eat on Columbus and West 85th Street, was previously in the space. (Thanks to Katie and Jeff for the tips.)
Topman Barbershop has opened at 204 West 79th Street between Amsterdam and Broadway. This is the first solo venture for Eugene, the owner, who previously had a partnership at a different salon in the neighborhood. “I love the Upper West Side, so that’s why I wanted to stay here. Luckily I had the chance to find this location,” he said on a call with WSR. Eugene is originally from Kazakhstan, where he started out as a barber, and immigrated to NYC ten years ago. “When I came to the United States I went to school again to get my licenses, and started working hard every day.” Services at the shop also include shaves, waxes, and facials. The space was previously Cork & Vine, a wine shop. A discount is offered for customers’ first appointment when booking online. (Thanks to Arthur for the tip.)
A pop-up used bookstore is expected to open at 2305 Broadway and West 83rd Street at the location of a former Blue Mercury, the cosmetics shop that closed in 2021. Details about exactly what’s happening aren’t clear, but looking through the windows of the storefront reveals hundreds of books stacked on the floor and lining shelves. We’ll post an update when more information is available. (Thanks to Jen and Tziona for the tip.)
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I was so excited when I walked up Broadway and saw the piles of books.
How great.
Gentile Gelato plus the charming new Casasalvo coffee shop, within a block of each other! Viva l’Italia!
They took the scaffolding down at the former site of Daniello’s Pizza on Columbus between 94th and 95th and there’s a sign in the window for a bakery associated with the MCC school nearby.
What does MCC stand for in this case?
We should celebrate every time scaffolding comes down on the UWS!
In the past week or so, the scaffolding around the old Esplanade (now 305 West End Avenue Assisted Living or something like that) came down! It was there for NINE YEARS.
The barbershop is between Broadway and Amsterdam.
Thank you
I believe the Yemeni coffee shop will open between 92nd and 93rd streets, not between 91st and 92nd streets. Looking forward to its opening.
2481 Broadway (Moka & Co.) is between 92nd/93rd, not 91st/92nd. Any updates on why there has been a total stall out of the new restaurants next to it that were supposed to open months ago? (Taïm Mediterranean Kitchen and Village Square Pizza). The pizza place opened for about a week and then abruptly shut down months ago.
Thanks! Fixed.
Good news about Gentile, but they’d better hurry up before the season ends. Summer comes and goes very quickly. Construction and city permits, on the other hand, take an eternity.
Mark Moore,
Bear’s Boomin’ Bakery will open in space that once housed Daniello’s Pizza. It will be employing students from MCC, a school for those with Autism. Not sure if the school owns/manages the new bakery.
Very exciting.
Cool! Could use a bakery in the area & great that kids from MCC will staff it!
Does anyone know what is going on with the deli on 88th and Broadway? I thought it was supposed to open this past winter
Welcome to the neighborhood, Gelateria Gentile. We can now have an ice cream crawl from 78 to 84 and have a taste of several different ice cream.
I wish it is the same availability of supermarkets in our neighborhood.
The opening of artisan businesses is very much in keeping either vision the Sara Lind Helen Rosenthal had in mind for the rejuvenation of the post Covid environment of the UWS
Way to tie a pretty ordinary business activity (90% of businesses in the U.S. are “small”, under 20 employees) to some purported grand vision by the local political “luminaries.”
I’m sorry to hear about Cathedral Animal Hospital. They are a good neighbor and an excellent veterinary clinic. They saved the life of a golden retriever I had adopted. I awakened to see her pulling out her stitches following spaying. Some of her intestines were visible. Panicked, I wrapped a sheet around her middle and took her down the block to the clinic. They quickly stitched her back up, and charged a very reasonable fee. Another time we had to call on them to come to the house to euthanize our very ill husky who could no longer stand and who we didn’t want to stress anymore by taking him to the clinic, which he dreaded. Dr. Fierman is an angel, and I’m happy to hear he’s still with us. Wishing him the very best.
3 Gelato places within 5 blocks? I’ve seen this rodeo-it was frozen yogurt/tastee delight – they cannibalized each other and then we had almost none. It’s a tough seasonal business and this may be one too many (especially when you factor in the 2 other specialty ice cream shops along that route).
But hey – here’s hoping the UWS is the new Italy because in the streets they eat that stuff morning noon and night (well the tourists do;)
Have to agree here. I’d be shocked if all these gelato places survive the winter.