By Scott Etkin and Lisa Kava
Eddie’s Bicycles at 490 Amsterdam Avenue (between West 83rd and West 84th streets) closed on November 7 due to high rent, Kristy Carreno, the daughter of owner Eddie Carreno told West Side Rag on a visit to the shop. Eddie’s Bicycles opened in 1980. The store sold a variety of bikes including road bikes, mountain bikes, hybrids, and racing bikes. They also rented bikes and did repairs. Eddie’s Bicycles sold biking accessories such as helmets, gloves, clothing and water bottles. All inventory from the store went to Second Avenue Bike Shop at 2131 Second Avenue (between East 109th and 110th streets), Kristy Carreno told the Rag. Eddie Carreno had owned that store as well but sold it to a friend in 2017. (Thanks to Mia for the tip.)
Sushi Lin, a Japanese restaurant, is planning to open this December at 170 Amsterdam Avenue at West 68th Street. The restaurant, which has an omakase tasting menu and á la carte options, gets its fish imported from Tsukiji Market in Tokyo, and elsewhere around the world, according to its website. Sushi Lin also has locations in Soho, West Village, Lower East Side, Park Slope, and Brooklyn Heights. “Sushi Lin is serving some of the best sushi in the city – not just for a casual spot, but for any spot,” The Infatuation wrote in a review. Le Petit Parisien, a French café, moved out of the space in August. (Thanks to Yael and Diane for the tips.)
Tracksmith, the running apparel and shoe company, has extended its pop-up at 341 Columbus Avenue (corner of West 76th Street) through November 27th. The shop opened on October 31st for the NYC marathon, and it is continuing to sell its marathon-themed gear, in addition to carrying its fall collection and other running staples. Tracksmith also convenes group runs that meet at the shop. The space used to be Peruvian Connection, a clothing store, which closed last December.
Wonder, a food hall that specializes in takeout and delivery, opened on November 7th at 741 Columbus Avenue (West 97th Street). Wonder works with a range of restaurants including “award-winning restaurants from across the country (Tejas Barbeque, Di Fara Pizza, and more),” a representative wrote to West Side Rag. Customers can order from one restaurant or a combination of the restaurants through the app and receive a food delivery to their home all in one order. Meals are made to order at Wonder storefronts and delivered in under 30 minutes. There is another Wonder on the Upper West Side at 2030 Broadway (West 70th Street), and 20 locations throughout New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Pickup and limited dine-in is also available. “We hope that our newest Manhattan location at 97th and Columbus will offer families and individuals unprecedented convenience, personalizations, and great quality food,” Jason Rusk, executive vice president of operations, wrote to West SIde Rag. Previously in the space was a Rite Aid, which closed in January 2023. (Thanks to Emily and Amelia for the tips.)
A Verizon “Wireless Zone” store has opened at 2875 Broadway (corner of West 112th Street). Unlike the company-operated stores, “Wireless Zone” stores are independently owned and operated outlets that are authorized to sell Verizon products and services. The space has been vacant in recent years, but it used to be the Bank Street Bookstore.
There are a couple of recent rebrandings in the neighborhood, coincidentally, both involving the word “society.” The New-York Historical Society, the 220 year-old museum at West 77th Street and Central Park West, changed its name last week to New York Historical, The New York Times reported. Meanwhile, two weeks ago, Lionheart Studio, a weightlifting and boxing gym at 237 West 105th Street, changed its name to Strength Society.
The Openings & Closings column wouldn’t be possible without our many tipsters: thank you! Anyone can send tips about openings and closings in the neighborhood to info@westsiderag.com.
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Come further north on Broadway, the rents are cheaper.
Something going into the old Han’s grocery space on 93/broadway and signage up in the building next door for “coming soon” but does not specify what. Good news for this vacant block!
They are renovating the Han’s space which has not been done in decades but I’m not sure if it’s for any particular new tenant.
I commend Strength Society for adding “society” to its name, while I concurrently rebuke the erstwhile New-York Historical Society for removing it from theirs. Such inanity!
Indeed. And leaving their name with a modifier modifying nothing… “Historical” is a modifier so what is it modifying now? What a statement on how well the people responsible for this name change were taught English in school…
The ungrammatical change is supposed to be edgy and hip.
I liked Eddie’s Bicycles a lot–I thought it was a good establishment. I’m very sorry to see it go.
It’s sad to see Eddie’s Bike Shop close. With the disappearance of Renaissance on 81st, and of Trek on 96th and Broadway, there really is a paucity of options for bike stores on the Upper West Side between 72nd and 106th (where there are shops). If there’s one store I would love to see in the 86-100 street range, it would be a bike shop!
Good riddance to Eddie’s Bicycles! After Trek on 96th closed (which we loved and were so sad to see leave that space), I decided to try Eddie’s. I’ve never had someone so incredibly rude greet me – when I asked if he could look at my flat tire, he snapped that I’d have to pay him first before he touches anything. I was shocked at his aggressiveness and at that point just said that’s fine, I just need it fixed. He said I could pick it up in an hour or pay extra to have them hold it longer! I had to go back to work so I had no choice. He was equally gruff when I picked it up, and wouldn’t you know it, in a few days the tire was flat again. I was so upset but was afraid to confront him because of how aggressive he was. I took it to another bike shop and got it repaired correctly. Such a horrible experience, I’m not surprised they’re closing!
Sorry you had a bad experience, but I have been going to Eddie’s since they opened, and I always had a good experience. Estella was a doll, and they even found a back wheel for my bike that would allow for my pedal brake to work. I don’t know what I’m going to do without them.
Not sure who you dealt with that day, but it wasn’t Eddie! His wife, Estella, has been running the shop for several years and all of the people who work there I have found to be pleasant and helpful. Bummed to see someone talking smack about a neighborhood institution
I had the opposite experience at Eddie’s. I had a flat, arrived at the shop just as it was opening on a Sunday, and I couldn’t have received better treatment. Quick service, reasonable price, and very friendly.
Sorry to hear you had a bad experience. I had been going there since I moved in around the block over 30 years ago. They have been nothing but kind and very affordable. BTW, I do not recall being asked to pay in advance but if they did, I would not have minded.
Would be great to see Tracksmith keep their pop up as a full time location on the UWS, surely their target demographic is well represented.
I don’t know, I think their target market is rather niche even for a place like NYC. I say that because I’m a pretty trim guy and I still found their tops to be too snug in the arms, which practically never happens. I think they’re really targeting the kind of person who runs nearly every day, competes in races, has a very lean build above the waist (i.e. no weight lifting). I run 3-4 times a week and look like a runner, but cross train for better (IMO) general fitness.
I’m not saying they don’t have a market – in fact I think they’ve done a great job serving a very narrow niche. Just that it’s not something that can support a full time store.
I’m struggling with the concept of Wonder. I don’t understand how one restaurant can make dishes from multiple restaurants in one location. Is it the same quality as going to the restaurant itself? Is it like frozen versions of the menu items that they heat up when ordered? The whole concept sounds strange to me from the prepping to the economics of it all.
went to the one on Varick and King recently….tried the Buffalo wings and was pleasantly surprised how good they were. Eat it in the store and it is better than if it travels to you…there is room, not much, but you can eat in the store. Not cheap: I think 6 large juicy wings were $13 after tax…thats two bucks for two bites per wing!
Here’s the Wonder story: https://www.grubstreet.com/article/a-restaurant-critic-reviews-wonder-kitchen-delivery-food.html
How long will it take until “New York Historical” restores the word “Society” (or at least replaces it with “Museum”), when it realizes that the new name is silly?
(New York Historical WHAT? The goofiness of the new name doesn’t befit the dignity of the institution, which is quite wonderful.)
I also wonder how much a consultant was paid for this ingenious rebranding . . .
We see so much commenting here about how everyone should be riding bicycles and all cars should be driven into the River — let alone “stored” on (GASP!) the bike-riders’ public streets — as well as the insatiable need to replace lane after lane after lane of avenues with bike lanes that are used by no one but delivery riders.
Why, then, can’t a single bicycle store do enough business to survive? Do all of those throngs of bike riders never need repairs? Does not one of them need to replace their worn-out bicycle?
Why do bicycle stores keep closing if bicycles are the way of the future?
Personally, I think that the New York Historical made a very good.
Best comment of the week, Cato.
I appreciate what you did there.
I went into the new Wonder. It was unnerving enough that I didn’t order anything. No one at the counter, the tables and chairs were so cheap and unattractive. It felt about as clean and comfortable as one of the unlicensed weed places or a remote bus station. I’ll order from it eventually, I guess, but I don’t have high hopes. This is not a top tier experience, so I doubt the food will be good.
some of the unlicensed weed spots were definitely cleaner than the new ones. especially by 72nd street. the new spot there feels sketchier than most unlicensed ones.