Openings & Closings: The Throwback; Fellini; 2nd Street; Vuori; Bagel Talk; Strand Books

By Scott Etkin and Lisa Kava

The Throwback, a sports bar with a full kitchen and a downstairs lounge, is opening at 710 Amsterdam Ave. (between West 94th and 95th streets). It will showcase an extensive memorabilia collection that Alex Bryant, the co-owner, inherited from his grandfather. It is a family business; Bryant’s mother, an accountant and partial owner, will keep the books. “This is an ode to my grandfather,” said Bryant on a call with the Rag. “He collected [this memorabilia] for a reason, and we think the reason is for this moment, so hopefully it pays off.”

Bryant has lived in Harlem for the past 13 years and he is familiar with Upper West Side establishments both as a customer and as a bartender. He used to work at Brother Jimmy’s, a bar in the West 80s that closed in 2015. Since then he has had a corporate career, which he left to start The Throwback. “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” said Bryant about the new business, which he works on in the evening after taking care of his young daughter during the day. The Throwback will serve classic bar fare and a wide-ranging beer, wine, and cocktail menu. The opening is likely to take place in June, with the exact date still to be determined. The space used to be Chelsea House, a restaurant and bar that closed last spring.

Fellini, an Italian coffee shop with a to-go window and indoor and outdoor dining, opened on May 15th at 523 Amsterdam Ave. (between West 85th and 86th streets). Fellini is known for its signature drinks, including a Tiramisu Latte and Coco Nero, which is a double espresso with coconut water and coconut cream. This is Fellini’s first uptown location; it also has shops in Soho, the West Village, and Chelsea. The UWS shop has the same menu as its other locations, which include pizzetas, savory croissants, bruschetta, and more. The locations downtown operate as coffee shops during the day and wine bars at night. The UWS location may apply for a liquor license in the future, a representative told the Rag on a call. The space used to be a convenience store. (Thanks to Angie for the tip.)

2nd Street, a secondhand clothing shop, opened on May 16th at 2875 Broadway (between West 111th and 112th streets). The company was founded in 1996 in Japan and it now has dozens of locations in the U.S. Another shop is expected to open on the UWS at West 94th Street and Broadway. At 2nd Street, customers can buy and sell clothes, shoes, and accessories for men and women. (Thanks to Stephanie for the tip.)

Vuori, a popular “athleisure” clothing company, is opening on May 23rd at 201 Columbus Avenue (between West 69th and 70th streets). Vuori was founded in 2014 in Encinitas, Calif., and makes activewear inspired by what the company describes as a “coastal California lifestyle.” They sell athletic apparel as well as everyday lifestyle apparel. Vuori has other Manhattan locations in Flatiron, SoHo, and on the Upper East Side. Allbirds, the shoe store, which closed in January, was formerly in the space.

Bagel Talk at 368 Amsterdam Avenue (between West 77th and West 78th streets) is temporarily closed for renovations. There is signage in the window saying they will reopen around June 7th. Abid Islam, the owner of Bagel Talk, told West Side Rag that the owner of the building is doing some construction in which access is needed to the bagel store, and that as soon as that construction is over, the store will reopen. Bagel Talk was shut down by the Health Department for violations back in October 2024, and had reopened in November after correcting those violations. Islam assured the Rag that the current temporary closing has nothing to do with health violations, saying that Bagel Talk was recently inspected and received an A rating. (Thanks to Barbara for the tip.)

ICYMI: Strand Books is planning to open in place of another bookstore, Shakespeare & Co., at 2020 Broadway (between West 69th and 70th streets). This will be Strand’s second location on the Upper West Side – its existing shop in the neighborhood is at 450 Columbus Avenue (between West 81st and 82nd streets). Shakespeare & Co. opened this location near Lincoln Center in 2018. An exact closing date has not been set; there is a sale on remaining inventory going on now. The company also closed its shop on West 105th Street in March after a year in business there. The opening of the new Strand bookstore is expected to take place in July.

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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