By Gus Saltonstall
An incoming bagel business with a historic tie to the Upper West Side is looking forward to opening a new neighborhood location, but it’s run into a little trouble with its “Coming Soon” sign.
Bagels & Cream is aiming to open on Amsterdam Avenue between West 105th and 106th streets in early March. A sign recently went up on its new storefront to let locals know the business is on its way, and what it would be offering: Bagels. Fish. Sandwiches. Coffee. Schemers.
“Schemers?”
“What are they scheming?” one person pondered on an Upper West Side Facebook group, while someone on the social media platform X jokingly wrote, “Going here to do some scheming.”
It appears that the new business meant the word schmears, which, as New Yorkers and Merriam Webster agree, is “a layer of spreadable food or condiment, especially cream cheese.” Or maybe Bagels & Cream really did mean schemers — multiple people devising some sort of secretive plan?
West Side Rag reached out to Bagels & Cream, which has a location in the Bronx, to find out.
“Yes that was a typo!” confirmed someone from the restaurant via email.
The incoming eatery wanted to use the snafu, though, to send a message to its new Upper West Side community.
“We’re beyond thrilled to bring Bagels and Cream to Amsterdam Avenue — your new go-to spot for fresh bagels, smooth cream cheese spreads, perfectly cured lox, and a delicious assortment of muffins, croissants and pastries. This neighborhood holds a special place in our hearts — our family proudly owned 72nd Street Bagel back in the day, and we’re so excited to return to our roots and serve this incredible community once again.”
72nd Street Bagel closed in 2016 after more than 10 years in the neighborhood at 130 West 72nd Street.
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Clever scheme to get free publicity 😉
What a schame. A shonda even.
Oy vey!
They can’t spell. But here’s hope they can read the health code regulations.
Can they hire Nick and use the Absolute recipe??
The recipe with or without rodents?
I’m more focused on the bagels and cream coming soon as aspect lol 😆😈
Schemers! I’ll try not to hold that against them when they open.
72nd Street Bagel was my go-to place before it closed. I hope this new store has its fabulous olive cream cheese. A large container of it was confiscated by the TSA when I was taking it to my niece. I’m still angry about that!
“Schemers” reminds me of another unintended pun I once saw on an UWS food store:
“Liver-worst”.
So much blah blah over a typo. Oy schmey.
What kind of shlemiel calls a shmear a scheme?
Will they have the awesome black and white cookies they used to have at 72nd Street bagel though?
So who knew?
I am always so curious as to the sign company’s actual review of the customer’s product before it gets printed. I assumed and expected the printer to look over each word and question anything that is misspelled, grammatically incorrect, or just plain questionable, like “schemers”. Hmm. I guess not.
“Typo?” Lol, yeah, okay.
I like my coffee without a shmear anyway.
Btw, why did this site try to autocorrect me into schemer?
72nd St. Bagel was excellent. I wish they were opening closer to the old location, but if they’re using the same recipe, I’ll go out of my way for some.
Now it’s time for the landlord to apply that pressure. Don’t you dare have any success or they will raise the rent on you. And of course they will have no seats. Broadway bagels removed the seats, so did absolute bagels, so did Starbucks, so did dunkin’ donuts, so did Silverman Bakery.
That’s the cruelty of New York City you may not even sit. And then when you can sit like at Zelma’s, there is a sign that says 60 minutes only. And the nerve of the manager at plow shares to ask my friend Michael to give up a seat for a different customer just because he was done with his tea.
Nobody knows how to relax and enjoy the journey here.
60 minutes seems generous. Plenty of time to have a coffee, a bite, and read the newspaper. Turnover helps businesses turn a profit, and I, personally, would like these places to stay open.
A restaurant near I used to work didn’t spell check the menu, so diet delite became died delite.
Hold up.
“72nd Street Bagel.” Was that the bagel place on like the southwest corner of 72nd and Broadway? I know there was a bagel place there but I can’t recall if that was the place. Either way, hope it is good
My favorite sign typo was the deli not far from there that advertised “hot paninises”.
Let me know if they sell salt bagels.
Bagels Schmagals