By Scott Etkin and Lisa Kava

Blossom, the longtime vegan restaurant at 507 Columbus Avenue (between West 84th and 85th streets), is closing on August 25th, the company announced. The tough conditions for restaurants that have lingered since the pandemic – including high food costs and customers dining out less often – is the reason cited for the closing. “We love all of our regulars that have been coming to see us for all these years, and we’re as sad as they are,” said Kiley Etling, a general manager, on a call with West Side Rag. Many staff have been with Blossom for over a decade, including its chef, Crescensio Sanchez, who has a near 20-year tenure. “[We’re] very much a family,” she said. 

Blossom’s original restaurant opened in Chelsea in 2005 and at one point it had three locations in New York City. It opened on the Upper West Side about ten years ago. “My vision for Blossom was to create a place with outstanding food, not just for vegans, but for everyone to enjoy,” Ronen Seri, co-founder, wrote on the company’s website. The restaurant will maintain its normal hours until the closing. Updates will be posted on Instagram. (Thanks to Jenna and Seth for the tips.) 

Le Petit Parisien, a cafe at 170 Amsterdam Avenue at West 68th Street, closed on August 4th and is looking to relocate. The cafe, which served French-style pastries and sandwiches, opened in May last year, replacing another cafe, Boule & Cherie. “We love the neighborhood. We didn’t want to let the place go,” said owner Alex Chezaud on a call with West Side Rag. The reason for the closing is a rent increase, he said. The new location, which is likely to be outside the UWS, is expected to be ready in the next couple of months. Le Petit Parisien has three other cafes – in Harlem, on the Upper East Side, and the Lower East Side – that remain open. (Thanks to Mike and Yael for the tips.) 

Central Park Farm Stand, an outdoor market featuring produce and eggs sourced from farms in New York State, owned by minority groups (Black, Indigenous, and people of color), is running on Saturdays through November 30th at West 110th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard, along the border of Central Park. The initiative is sponsored by the Corbin Hill Food Project, a Harlem-based nonprofit that fights hunger, and the Central Park Conservancy. The Farm Stand is part of the Conservancy’s effort to engage with the community near the northern part of the Park. “[Corbin Hill’s] whole model is providing a food ecosystem, connecting BIPOC farmers with urban centers, like Harlem and South Bronx, so it just was a natural fit,” Shatic Mitchell, director of civic engagement at the Conservancy, told WSR on a call. 

The Farm Stand debuted in July. “Every week we’re pretty much selling out,” said Mitchell, and any excess food is donated to local pantries. With three or four booths each week, the Farm Stand is similar to a farmers market in that the produce is sourced from local farms, but the tables are staffed by Corbin Hill, not the farmers themselves. This makes it easier for the farms to participate, Mitchell said. Hours are 11:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturdays. 

The Avenue, an Irish pub at 480 Amsterdam at the corner of West 83rd Street, has closed the business confirmed to the Rag. The bar hosted weekly events including jazz, karaoke, and trivia. It opened in May 2023. Taco Tavern used to be in the space. (Thanks to Sharon for the tip.) 

UpDog Studios, a boutique fitness studio offering vinyasa yoga, mat Pilates, and barre classes, opened at 2672 Broadway on the second floor (between West 101st and 102nd streets) on August 3rd with a “light” summer schedule. A full schedule will be released in the fall, studio co-owner Nicole Pavone told WSR. UpDog also has a studio in Harlem at 145th Street, which Pavone and her husband Jordan McLaughlin opened in 2023. They are former dancers and musical theater performers who share a love of fitness. Class packages, monthly memberships, or individual classes can be purchased. “We are excited to bring the UpDog community to the Upper West Side and look forward to sharing our love of Yoga, Pilates and barre to the neighborhood,” Pavone told the Rag.

ICYMI: Alice’s Tea Cup, the Wonderland-themed cafe at 102 West 73rd Street (and its two other NYC locations), remains open after the business changed ownership. It is in the process of restructuring its debts. “No location is shuttered or shuttering and the party goes on,” Lauren Fox, who founded the tea shop with her sister Haley, told West Side Rag in a message. “After 23 years, Alice’s Tea Cup finally found the right people to pass the baton to and the group is led by Jeni He who plans to be faithful to the core concepts and brand, and grow Alice’s Tea Cup beyond the current locations.”

Subscribe to West Side Rag’s FREE email newsletter here. And check out the Support button below.