By Gary Martin
As someone who has lived on the Upper West Side for decades, I’ve seen a lot of local “anchor” stores come and go. I love progress as much as the next person, but even if I rarely shopped there, it’s sad to see some of these places change hands, or worse, disappear. Already missing Absolute Bagels and Shakespeare & Co.
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Gary B. Martin is an illustrator and animator who has lived on the Upper West Side for more than 30 years. His illustrations appear in the Rag on Sundays, chronicling life in the neighborhood, New York City, and the Universe. See them all here. For a broader range of Gary’s work, including animations and other motion graphics, please visit www.martoons.com
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It was such a shock when I walked by there a couple weeks ago – I had no idea this was going to happen – not Harry’s! My bunion feet will miss you Harry. Thanks for honoring it Gary!
Shakespeare, Co., Lenge, Josaphines, La Fortuna, and Diane’s absolutely… Absolute Bagels? Nope. Don’t miss them.
So where do you get your bagels on the UWS? Sure, the long line was annoying, but Absolute was among the best bagels in Manhattan.
Kossar’s.
Tal’s is wonderful
Oh yea, and Scaletta. I miss Scaletta. That was a local gem.
Omg. How true. Really cute
Gary, I look forward to your cartoon every week. But cartoon doesn’t seem like the best word. Your artistic commentary on the world around us just seems to always say what is needed!!
i went a little local this week. there’s lots of change going on here.
I feel your pain. So many places have gone that you may not even have shopped at but were part of the fabric of your neighborhood. It’s sad.
Upper west side needs to reflect the new neighborhood! We want Barney’s New York we want luxury shopping! We love Chanel cosmetics moving into the neighborhood! We want more luxury niche brands to move in! We want boutique brands! Come to the upper west side! We will spend!
Hahahahahahahaha
This seems like a fake account. “jewman”? Begging for more expensive stuff. We see you AOC!
Something about this comment strikes me as insincere.
There was a Barneys and it closed…
There is some welcome, opening again, local news just now in the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/06/movies/metro-theater-sold-hochul-grants.html
The Metro theater has been acquired by the non-profit that will restore it as a movie theater
Hurrah!
I hope this finally gets revitalized.
The little losses slowly pile up. Feeling the gloom with you, GB
Era today, gonna tomorrow.
Harry, Harry! What happened? You and my feet will be sorely missed 😩
So many neighborhood staples gone. 🙁
Staples is still there.
I remember when decades ago, people were saying the same when other favorites closed: Ernie’s; Copper Hatch; Panedemonia; Marvin Garden’s; Food City; Woolworths; etc. One thing I’ve learned in my 55+ years here in the UWS , , , you can’t stop change! 🙂
Nobody misses Food City. Or Red Apple and Sloan’s for that matter. In terms of grocery stores, we didn’t know how bad we had it.
Now, Teacher’s and Teacher’s Too? I’m still in mourning.
And the Museum Cafe
Aw! My kids got all their shoes at Harry’s after the Buster Brown on 9th Ave closed. Sad.
I’m all for progress, but tradition and supporting small local businesses is good too. Another good one, Martoons!
Someone please bring more businesses to the UWS. Too many closings.
We need a good bagel shop to replace Absolute Bagels. And one that maintains health standards!
Et tu, Harry???!!!
So true…. Gone, but not forgotten. In our old neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen it was Renaissance Diner, Eatery, Whym, Vynl, Uncle Nick’s… Here in our new neighborhood of Bloomingdale on the Upper West Side it is Garden of Eden, Absolute Bagels, Shakespeare & Co., Abigail’s, Silver Moon Bakery… But the good news, at least with that last example, is how new eras are just around the corner — or more accurately in the case of Silver Moon Bakery actually just down the street!
The UWS once had a VYNL as well: at 507 Columbus Avenue.
Does anyone remember Teachers and Teachers Too restaurants?
Very much so. And Gitlitz, Big Nick’s Burger & Pizza Joints, Bagel Nosh, The Only Child, West Side Storey, Hunan Royal, Hunan Balcony, Smokeyʼs Real Pit Bar-B-Que, Swiss Chalet, the Golden Ass Coffee House, Ernesto’s(?), Popover Cafe, Four Brothers, Souen, Pumpkin Eater, Cafe Roma Pizzeria, Indian Cafe, New Pizza Town, Silverbird, Happy Burger II … and MORE! These are merely a few of my long-gone favorite eateries.
I was quite fond of Teachers Too’s French onion soup.
Remembered with great warmth. Places you could sort of fall into for a good meal without having to take out a bank loan, pretend you were cool, or beg for a table at RESY.
Hold up I thought they said they were keeping the Harrys name? The new owners I mean.
Likewise. I believe Gary is just referring to the change in management and temporary closing.
This is happening in Brooklyn too. But we’re lucky that we’re able to be alive and also remember that our parents had the same issues! Change is everywhere. You hit home with this one!
Absolutely a picture of our city’s changes, we are in Gramercy-Union Square and Gary’s voice rings true here too…
Wait, I heard that they were renovating. They ARE reopening, RIGHT?!
Well, we are getting back the Metro Cinema.
Thanks Mr Martoons for keeping a former UWS-er in the know! Every time I return I suffer a bit of shock at the changes in my old neighborhood. Harry’s will be sorely (and solefully) missed! Thank you from afar! 🙏🤩
Due to the changes in standard office attire since 2020 I have enough dress shoes to see me through this life; but five or six years ago I was in Harry’s and the salesman and I were chatting and he complained about all the people who would come in, try on a vast array of shoes then say they’d need to think about them. They would leave, never be seen again, because they’d buy the shoes through Amazon.
“They would leave, never be seen again, because they’d buy the shoes through Amazon.”
And pay much, much less, have the shoes delivered to their door, *and* have the ability to return the shoes after a minute-and-a-half if they proved not to fit.
Even worse are Absolute Bagels and Silver Moon closing – food is far more important than shoes!
Gary nails it again. Always brilliant!
I remember when that spot was a florist and then a Lindsay HQ in 1969 before it was Harry’s. For years I couldn’t buy shoes without thinking of my favorite Mayor.
Thank you Gary for showing Taylor Swift how to define an era.
Empty stores all over the city. There should be laws against empty storefronts – compel the landlords to rent at reasonable prices. It’s bad for the city and we who live here to tolerate this greed.
All States Cafe, original Buon Gusto on Columbus, Grossinger’s Bakery!
The Regency.
😂