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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Always glad to hear of businesses opening on the UWS.
OMG – The Strand!
Shades of the movie ‘You’ve Got Mail’.
Don’t forget about the opening of 75th Organic Deli and Market on Amsterdam!
You completely read my mind. This morning I was walking past Chelsea House and 2nd Street on the way to the train and thought I wonder what’s happening at those two places, maybe West Side Rag will run something on them soon. Thanks.
Nice to have a new coffee place, but best to drink organic coffee. Many conventionally grown coffee contains health-harming contaminants like Ochratoxin A, Acrylamide, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Yeast, and Pesticides, which can not only cause short term symptoms like fatigue, weakness, and brain fog, but lead to long-term health consequences like cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and more.
Thank you so much much for pedantic lecturing that can be found in many other places.
Of course it’s best to stick to organic food across the board whenever feasible, not just coffee.
Drinking organic coffee will/should spare you the pesticides by definition, but I don’t see how the “ORGANIC” label would necessarily guarantee the absence of yeast: might not yeast (organic) be added to coffee without changing its organic status? As for acrylamide and PAHs, one’s best bet for avoiding them would be to drink only green/unroasted coffee, as roasting the beans is the primary source of those contaminants; indeed, high heat can produce them in a wide variety of foods. See https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666154324005453 .
All that said, the greatest risk from acrylamide (and likely PAHs) might be via not mouth but rather nose; see https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/chemicals/acrylamide.html .
Green/unroasted coffee is disgusting. If you hate normal coffee so much, why not drink anything else.
I myself have never been a coffee (or tea) drinker, so I wouldn’t know about that. However, some might enjoy it unroasted and reap the health advantages. It’s their call to make.
“All that said” . . . then stop saying it.
No thanks. Alternatively, you could simply stop reading it; I won’t mind.
Sure, Jan.
Any news on the “New” Absolute Bagels? Nothing seems to be happening up there.
Or the Hashi Market in the 107th St, Garden of Eden?
Or the restaurant supposedly opening in the old Mel’s Burger Bar at 111th Street?
Or the ex-Broadway Restaurant to hopefully still become a bakery? With the Silver Moon staff?
I am very excited to check out the new coffee shop,. Btw. What is going on with Frame?
BEST part of Fellini – the To Go window! You can order coffee while walking your dog!
Shakespeare and Co sold my husband a gift card less than two weeks ago (felt like it was safe since they said “don’t fret”) and now their shelves are almost empty and they don’t have any online selling happening. Will Strand be accepting that? Feels irresponsible to sell a gift card when they know (and we don’t) that they’re closing.