By Gus Saltonstall
As the months continue to pass since a sign appeared declaring the reopening of the “New Absolute Bagel” on the former Absolute Bagels Upper West Side storefront, patience is appearing to wane.
In the past couple of days, someone scrawled a message on the red and white sign at 2788 Broadway, between 107th and 108th streets.
“Raisin Pump Patrick Sayz When???”
The word “Sooon!” follows the question, but it was not immediately clear if the person who scribbled the question included that in their message, or if someone from the incoming operation responded to the query. It was also not immediately clear who or what Raisin Pump Patrick refers to.
Either way, Upper West Side Assemblymember Micah Lasher voiced his support of the question.
“I stand with Raisin Pump Patrick,” Lasher wrote on X.
As a reminder, Absolute Bagels unexpectedly closed in December of 2024 after more than 30 years at the location. Then, in April 2025, a banner appeared on the storefront announcing the “New Absolute Bagels.” At the time, Rafe Evans, the broker of the property, told West Side Rag that a group of partners who own multiple bagel stores in New York and New Jersey, but are not household names, would be taking over the storefront.
The new ownership group has no connection to the Thongkrieng family that ran the beloved Upper West Side bagel shop, Evans added. The broker also told us during the spring that the new owners would wait until the summer to do any sort of press, which would be closer to their planned opening date, but we have not received any updates, nor witnessed any obvious movement within the shuttered storefront.
Evans did not immediately respond to the Rag’s request for comment on Thursday.
We will update this story if we are able to learn more.
Read More:
- UPDATE: Group Signs Lease on Former UWS Absolute Bagels Storefront; ‘New Absolute Bagel’ Sign Goes Up
- UPDATE: UWS Absolute Bagels Closing Confirmed: ‘It Was a Bombshell’
- Upper West Side Reacts to the Cataclysmic Closure of Absolute Bagels
- A Conversation With Longtime UWS Absolute Bagels Manager: ‘I’m Heartbroken’
- UWS’ Absolute Bagels Line Changes Direction
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The when matters less than will they be as good as bagels from the original Absolute?
The new H&H bagels are nowhere near as good as the original.
Even if the new place opens it doesn’t mean it’s gonna be as good.
Can we please have a separate column for Absolutely Bagels?
I won’t hold my breath.
Why is Micah Lasher using X???
Because it’s the number one news and social media platform on planet earth. Cry at sad movies, not the #1 app in the App Store, I always say!
I totally sympathize with the question, and the answer. Since Silver Moon’s reincarnation still hasn’t opened – it will, soon – I know personally how frustrating it can be for friends, customers and the owners. But I believe it will happen soon, and the word SOON must be interpreted in a broader way. In NYC it can take months for the construction/reconstruction, to be finished; city forms and licenses, etc. to be obtained. We New Yorkers are not known for patience, but perhaps this is a good time to practice it.
Please open soon and get rid of all the scaffolding on upper Broadway or these businesses won’t survive.
While we’re at it, what’s going on with Wegmans, and Miznon on Broadway between 112th and 113th?
For Wegman’s, I wouldn’t expect anything this year. They put out a press release in December listing expected new store openings, and the UWS location was not on that list.
Note that it took two years for Astor Place to open. I think the old Bed Bath & Beyond location is even trickier than Astor Place, space-wise.
“It was also not immediately clear who or what Raisin Pump Patrick refers to.”
Really? You can’t figure out Patrick’s favorite bagel flavors?
Well, I have a different question: will the serious health code violations that caused the original Absolut to be shuttered have been remedied? Not sure why no one else seems to be concerned.
Tired,
Perhaps because lye kills most germs and bugs.
Was the cream cheese infested?
The point, the original Absolute wasn’t a destination for lox, and a lot of other things. It was about the bagels.
YEs! Can it be?