By Scott Etkin and Lisa Kava
Le Vin Coeur, a wine bar, opened on Saturday, March 22, at 108 West 81st Street, between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues. It is owned by Jerome Mathieu and Massire Sissoko, two friends who met while living in France years ago. This is their first venture together. Sissoko has been in the restaurant business for 30 years, initially as a manager of restaurants in Paris, before coming to New York City. Mathieu’s brother is a chef in Paris and has been helping the duo with ideas. Le Vin Coeur serves French wine (red, white, rose, and orange). They also serve small plates, cheese, charcuterie boards, bread, homemade French fries, homemade foie gras, and salads. Desserts include homemade profiteroles and chocolate cake.
The name Le Vin Coeur is a play on words, Mathieu told West Side Rag on a phone call. “Vin” means “wine” and “coeur” means “heart” in French, but when said quickly they sound like the French word “vainqueur” which means “winner.” “We liked the double meaning,” Mathieu told the Rag. Mathieu looked at more than 20 locations for the wine bar, but when he found the space on West 81st Street he was immediately drawn to it. The bar opens in the afternoon (4 p.m. on weekdays and 3 p.m. on weekends), and stays open till midnight Monday through Wednesday and Sunday, 1 a.m. on Thursday, and 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. “I like the Upper West Side, it is the best neighborhood, it’s just a feeling I have,” Mathieu said. “The space felt right, it felt cute and cozy and I knew we could do something great with it.” The storefront used to be CookTravel.Net, a travel agency.
The Cutting District Barber Shop has signage up at 265 Columbus Avenue (between West 72nd and 73rd streets). Max, the owner, came with his family to the United States from Uzbekistan in 2004 at 17 years old. He is a third generation barber, he told the Rag in an email, but the first to own his own shop. “My grandfather and father wielded their scissors with passion, nurturing a legacy of craftsmanship and care, but they never had the chance to run their own shop. They poured their hearts into every cut, every shave, dreaming of a day when their family could thrive,” he wrote. “Today I am the first to realize that dream.” According to the barber shop’s Facebook page, they are offering 20% off during their opening week, which has not yet been announced. The space was previously Heather Mac Clean, a dry cleaners, which closed in November 2024.
Le Lis Cafe opened on March 1 in the lobby of the Arthouse Hotel at 222 West 77th Street (between Amsterdam Avenue and Broadway). They are open for breakfast and lunch, serving a variety of sandwiches (including egg salad, tomato and mozzarella, and grilled cheese), and pastries (including pain suisse and cinnamon rolls). There are also bagels, pre-packaged items, and hot and cold coffee and tea drinks. Le Lis Cafe is kosher-certified under rabbinical supervision, a representative told West Side Rag. They have both pareve and dairy products available. Le Lis means “lily” in French and the decor of the cafe is filled with lilies. Vouchers for the cafe are available for people staying at the hotel.
Emack & Bolio’s, the ice cream shop at 389 Amsterdam (between West 78th and 79th streets), is closed temporarily for renovation and will reopen under new management. The change is taking place because the people who ran the operation for the past 15 years are retiring, Bob Rook, founder of Emack & Bolio’s, told the Rag on a call. The remodel will bring the store in line with the chain’s newer locations, he said, and should be completed by mid-April. “The menu can change at any time,” Rook added, “because there are always new flavors.” Ice cream is ordered every week in the summer and every two weeks the rest of the year. Rook, a music lawyer, started Emack & Bolio’s in 1975 in Boston. The music-themed chain of ice cream shops now has more than a dozen locations in the U.S., including a few in NYC, as well as locations in Asia. (Thanks to Wendy and Ian for the tips.)
Bloom Brows, a beauty salon, opened at 2470 Broadway (between West 91st and 92nd streets) last Wednesday, a staff member told the Rag. Services include threading, waxing, facials, and henna. The space was previously a smoke shop.
The Starbucks at 444 Columbus Avenue (between West 81st and 82nd streets) is temporarily closed. A Starbucks spokesperson confirmed the closing but did not specify the reason or duration. “All Starbucks partners (employees) working at that store have been transferred to one of our nearby locations during the closure,” the spokesperson wrote in an email to the Rag. A sign on the storefront directs customers to nearby Starbucks at West 86th and Columbus and West 81st and Broadway. This location reopened in June 2024 after being closed for approximately a year for renovations.
The Spectrum store at 2829 Broadway (northwest corner of West 109th Street) closed in November 2024 after opening there in the spring of 2023. “As more interactions occur via online channels, we periodically review customer activity at our portfolio of stores to ensure we’re delivering the best service to our nearly 32 million customers,” a representative wrote to the Rag. “Employees were relocated to another nearby Spectrum Store.” There are two Spectrum locations remaining on the UWS at 2554 Broadway (West 96th Street) and 1865 Broadway (West 61st Street). A Spectrum branch at 2300 Broadway (at West 83rd Street) closed in November 2024. (Thanks to Jose for the tip.)
ICYMI: Harry’s Shoes, the longtime shoe store at 2299 Broadway (southwest corner of West 83rd Street), is closed temporarily for renovations and training, and is expected to reopen this summer under new management. Sole Provisions, the new parent company, has an online shop and its own brick-and-mortar stores, and it also operates several former family businesses. The company was founded by Holden Nagelberg, who got his start in the shoe business in 1991, working part-time at a family-owned shoe store in Queens while he was in graduate school for music education, according to the company’s website. “We’re getting a fresh new start!“ reads a sign posted on Harry’s storefront. “We can’t wait to serve the Upper West Side with incredible service, a new more liberal return policy, and a huge selection of amazing footwear and accessories for men, women, and children.” Harry’s Shoes has had this Upper West Side location since 1975.
ICYMI: Silver Moon, the popular bakery at 2740 Broadway (northeast corner of West 105th Street), had its last day of business on Sunday, March 23. The bakery had been in the neighborhood for nearly 25 years and there were lines of loyal patrons over the weekend. (For the Rag’s coverage of the closing click – HERE and for a tribute click – HERE.) “In the past few days, after announcing our closing, we have been overwhelmed by your emails, letters, cards, notes, hugs, words and tears,” reads a sign posted on the storefront. “This has been an amazing experience for all of us. You never know what life may bring…”
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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Ugh. So many closings.
I need to know: does anyone here ever have “threading”? I know no one who does, but my neighborhood has a threading salon every couple of blocks, as though hair eyebrows are at risk of overtaking the UWS…
Absolutely. Much easer than waxing or plucking. I go to the one at the NW corner of 103rd and Broadway.
Yes. I have been getting it done for over a decade at Shobha. When they closed their Columbus Circle location and moved to the UWS, I followed my lovely technician there.
The only I know of is… Mayor Adams …who felt the need to have it done recently (not on the UWS) as part of his PR stunts. So busy running this City…
Hah! Attack of the Bushy Brows: UWS(eyed).
Is this our first successful illegal smoke shop conversion?
Nice to see the old Cook Travel space coming back to life. For years — decades, really — looking into its darkened windows with its crumbling travel posters was like revisiting the glory days of flying and sailing to faraway places. I wish the owners of Vin Coeur good luck and a long run.
Oh, is that where it is?? Cool…I too loved looking into that place and wondered how long ago it closed…like a time capsule,
On West 81st St., a few door west of Columbus, south side of the street. It was in business when I first moved to the neighborhood, back in the days of the dinosaurs, and featured a couple of wooden desks where the agents could book your trips. But it always felt like the shop that time forgot.
Why does this Starbucks on 81st close every 6 months?
Starbucks at 81 Street/Columbus was scheduled to be closed for good back in 2022 because of poor business. Before that they were closed by the NYC health department. The store next-door said the landlord said they’ve gone out of business.
I’ve heard it’s because of rats that are not contained by that building. Long dispute with Starbucks and the landlord. (Neighboring restaurant has the same issue.). So probably longstanding health concerns by Starbucks. But with their inflated prices, Starbucks should find a way to fix the problem. The last closure was a joke as no substantial renovations took place.
I would bet that it’s staffing. They can’t hire enough people for all the Starbucks so they “close” this one and send the staff to work at other ones nearby.
Actually, there are several reasons that Starbucks’ keep closing. One is that they are deliberately getting rid of bathrooms. And in doing so, they also have to get rid of seating (since, by law, if you have more than 19 seats, you have to have a bathroom. Guess how many seats the one on Bway/81st has – yup, 19). Also, many of the stores are having HVAC and other issues. Third, Starbucks is changing the “look” of many stores. For example, the one on Bway/94 went from a “regular” Starbucks (with seating) to one that does not even have any stools – it is simply an “in and out” store. I fear, given its size, that this may occur at this location (Col/81) as well.
Starbucks announced awhile ago IIRC they were developing and expanding “grab and go” concept.
Place orders via app, arrive, pick-up your drink and go.
Every newly renovated SB one has seen lately has far less seating and more of a spread out feeling. New stores also are smaller than when SB first began invading NYC decades ago.
Situation with SB restrooms is what it is. Homeless, those involved with drugs and others leave those bathrooms in a disgustingly foul state. Employees have to go in several times per shift and clean. You get tired of that.
If only customers used SB restrooms things might be different, but usually people just walk in off street, use restroom and leave.
Welcome Sole Provisions! They own Pegasus upstate and provide wonderful and personal customer service! They have ordered sale shoes for me and my children and shipped without a shipping fee. They always measure and are knowledgeable about materials and fit.
I really hope Harrys actually opens and this isn’t ‘closed for renovations but we are actually never going to reopen.” I AM excited about a more liberal return policy though
What’s wrong with Harry’s old return policy? Anybody have any stories? I think I’m lazy because once I’ve tried on the shoes and buy them I don’t really return them. But I rarely buy shoes.
Too bad they didn’t close the Spectrum at 96th; do that and we can bring back Fowad!
I’d like that. Maybe they can even squeeze Metro Hardware through the time portal in the same go.
Any intel on Broadway between 86th and 87th, both sides of the street?
Nothing opened after Gristedes and the Gap/Banana Republic closed (10 years ago?) and now, the former PC Richards site across the street is vacant, as well.
There is a Spectrum on Broadway at West 61 and West 62 Street.
Is Le Lis Cafe now in the same location as a branch of Patis bakery?
Starbucks at 444 Columbus/81 Street after they closed during the pandemic because of rodents. Management mentioned to me they may be closing forever if business doesn’t pick up.
They are definitely closed for good now! Also in an interoffice memorandum from the main headquarters in 2022 it was one of seven Starbucks to be closed on the upper west side. So their days were numbered since 2020.
That Starbucks has had so many face lifts I am surprised it hasn’t married an 80-year-old billionaire and moved to the UES.
Emack and Bolio is a music themed ice cream shoppe? News to me
Happy to see another overpriced wine bar hit the hood 😉
The Starbucks at 81st and Columbus has competition from About Coffee across the street.
It looks like the Cutting District barbershop is opening directly next to J&E Hair salon — an established and great place for haircuts and more. It’s absolutely stupid by Cutting District, a terrible decision by the landlord and a recipe to hurt BOTH places. With all the UWS vacancies, why? Terrible business people.