Openings & Closings (& Moving & Renovating): Gartner’s Hardware; Sote Coffee Roasters; D’Lioz Bakery; Gorjana; Oula; Claire’s Kitchen Cafe & Wine Bar; Hungarian Pastry Shop; Essential by Christophe; Viand

By Scott Etkin and Lisa Kava

Gartner’s Hardware is planning to move in September along West 72nd Street, from 162 West 72nd to 121 West 72nd, between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues. Gartner’s has been on the UWS for more than 60 years. This is its third move on the same block – this time the reason is that the new space is three times bigger than the current store, according to Baba, the store’s manager and former WSR “Upper West Sider of the Month.” How will they schlep all of those breakables down West 72nd Street? “We have experience,” said Baba with pride. “Nothing will crack or break.”

The location that Gartner’s is moving into has been empty since 2020. It was previously occupied by Long’s Bedding, a family business founded in 1911 that had been on West 72nd Street since 1936 and is now operated by the fourth generation of the same family at 1220 Third Avenue between East 70th and 71st. Terry Long, whose great-grandfather started the business, said that Long’s continues to serve many of its previous UWS customers, who have followed them to the East Side. In fact, its first customer on Third Avenue was an UWSider. “It was really heartwarming and reassuring,” she said. (Thanks to Andrea for the write-up.) 

Sote Coffee Roasters is planning to open in the early fall at 329 Amsterdam between West 75th and 76th streets. Sote means “today” in Albanian and was the nickname of the cafe’s owner, Besa, when she was growing up. “We chose this name because it reflects our commitment to serving fresh, high-quality coffee every day. But more than that, we want Sote to be a place where people can come together, relax, and enjoy a warm, inviting atmosphere,” she wrote in a message to West Side Rag. In addition to serving coffee and pastries, there are also plans to showcase the work of local artists and host community events.

Besa and her husband moved to NYC from Kosovo more than eight years ago and have professional backgrounds in the hospitality industry. They spend a lot of time on the UWS and around Central Park, which is why they chose this location (previously VIP Cleaners). “We’ve fallen in love with the Upper West Side,” she wrote to WSR. “There’s something so special about this neighborhood – the beautiful architecture, the vibrant community, and of course, the proximity to Central Park.” (Thanks to Andrew for the tip.) 

D’Lioz Bakery, a cafe and restaurant that offers a mix of Ecuadorian, Mexican, and American pastries and dishes, has opened at 926 Ámsterdam between West 105th and 106th streets. Alejandro Diaz, the owner, has about two decades’ worth of experience working in bakeries. “This is my passion,” he said on a call with WSR. Diaz is originally from Ecuador and has lived in New York for almost 10 years. The name “D’Lioz” is a combination of his last name and that of his best friend, who helped start the business. “Everything is made here. Everything is fresh,” said Diaz. The menu includes tostadas, sandwiches, tacos, and salads as well as unique pastries, like pan de yuca (an Ecuadorian cheese bread) and guava brioche. “I don’t think anyone else has [that],” he said. They also make cakes for all types of special occasions. The space used to be Ger Sushi. (Thanks to Herman for the tip.)  

Gorjana, a Southern California-based contemporary jewelry brand, opened at 209 Columbus Avenue (West 69th Street) on August 10th, the company announced. Gorjana carries reasonably priced casual “fashion jewelry” as well as a fine jewelry line featuring diamonds, opals, sapphires, and other gemstones. The company was founded in 2004 by Gorjana and Jason Reidel who then sold jewelry from their apartment in Laguna Beach. They now have more than 75 stores nationwide. The Columbus Avenue location will be the fifth in New York City and offer in-store stylists and complimentary gift wrapping. Gorjana donates to nonprofit organizations with a particular focus on women and children (The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Baby2Baby, Toys for Tots, among others). “NYC has been such a special part of our story since the beginning,” Gorjana Reidel said in the announcement. ”We could not be more excited to debut our fifth location in the city as we celebrate Gorjana’s 20th anniversary and look forward to helping more shoppers find their perfect layers this summer.” Another jewelry store, Alexis Bittar, was previously in the space.

Oula, which provides maternity care, opened on August 5th at 2875 Broadway between West 111th and 112th streets on the second floor. Oula has a partnership with Mount Sinai hospital, which also has signage up at this address (more info is expected to come later this month). Oula’s services include obstetrics and midwifery care, including preconception counseling, prenatal visits, delivery (they have a partnership with Mount Sinai West hospital at 10th Avenue between West 58th and 59th streets), and more. Oula also has locations in Brooklyn and downtown Manhattan. 

Claire’s Kitchen Cafe & Wine Bar has signage up at 45 West 107th Street and Manhattan Avenue and is planning to open in September. Claire’s has two existing locations, one on the Upper East Side and one in Harlem, which both opened in 2022, but the new location will be a little bit different: It will be larger than the other locations and it plans to transition in the evening from a cafe to a wine bar. “After we saw [the space], we felt like there was a lot of potential,” said Lior Ben David, one of the owners, on a call with WSR. “Hopefully we’ll be there for a long time.” The storefront used to be Manhattan Grocery Corp. (Thanks to Joshua and Lauren for the tips.) 

Finally, a few temporary closings: Hungarian Pastry Shop, the iconic bakery near Columbia University at 1030 Amsterdam between West 110th and 111th streets, is closed through August 18th for renovations to the storefront. Essential by Christophe, the Michelin-starred French restaurant at 103 West 77th Street, is on holiday through August 26th. Viand, the diner next to the Beacon Theater at West 75th Street and Broadway, is closed this week for renovations. A sign on the storefront directs customers to visit the other Viand location on the UWS, at West 85th Street and Columbus Avenue, in the meantime.

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