By Lisa Kava
The Migrant Kitchen’s Ballfields Cafe, (on the north side of the Heckscher Ballfields at West 65th Street), closed on December 1st with plans to reopen in late March or early April 2026. The seasonal outpost serves ballpark favorites such as hot dogs, burgers, fries, pretzels, nachos, and ice cream. It also serves soda, lemonade, beer, wine cocktails, and coffee. Seating is exclusively outdoors, and the cafe is available for “special events like birthday parties, weddings, happy hours and more,” a representative wrote to West Side Rag in an email. Plans for a spring reopening include “weekly programming and lots of celebrations.” The Migrant Kitchen has a year-round indoor location at 157 Columbus Avenue (at West 67th Street).
Masa- Kanai, a hair salon at 570 Columbus Avenue (at West 88th Street), opened a second location at 2109 Broadway, Suite 206 (at West 73rd Street, in the Ansonia building), on November 11th. The salon offers haircuts, hair color, blowouts, and hair treatments. It also offers a Japanese scalp treatment and massage called Head Spa. “We decided to open a second location because our Columbus shop was operating at max without room for further growth,” a spokesperson for the salon wrote to West Side Rag in an email. “We also had several assistants whom we have been training to become stylists but didn’t have space to add them on the floor.” The salon’s owner, Tommy Masanori, wanted the second location to remain on the Upper West Side. “We love the neighborhood and wanted to prioritize the community,” he wrote. “We are honored to bring our craft into this inspiring location and we can’t wait to welcome both new and old faces here.” (Thanks to Audrey for the tip.)
Janie’s Life Changing Baked Goods, a bakery selling “pie crust cookies” has plans to open at 434 Amsterdam Avenue (at West 81st Street), this spring. Janie’s is currently at 212 West 80th Street (between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue). It has not yet been determined if the new location will be a second Upper West location, or a move from the West 80th Street shop. Janie’s Life Changing Baked Goods (formerly called Janie Bakes) was founded in 2015 by Janie Deegan Cureau, who had struggled with addiction and homelessness. Encouraged by friends to embrace a childhood passion for baking, Cureau began to bake for her friends. Pie crust cookies were “inspired by Janie’s quest to get the perfectly proportioned bite of pie,” the website says. The new space will feature seating for customers, and the hope is to serve cakes in addition to cookies, a representative told West Side Rag. Other locations are in the West Village and in East Harlem. Kancil, a Malaysian restaurant which closed in April 2025 was previously in the space.
La Mode Royal, a discount luxury women’s clothing and accessories shop, has signage up at 1875 Broadway (between West 61st and West 62nd streets). They sell jackets, coats, belts, dresses and handbags. This will be the second location in NYC for the store; there’s one currently in midtown. (Thanks to Jill for the tip.)
Amsterdam Deal Depot has signage up at 714 Amsterdam Avenue (between West 94th and West 95th Street). We will update when we have more information and an expected opening date. The space was previously occupied by 94 Star Deli and Grocery. (Thanks to Mark for the tip.)
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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Wow basically only openings! Hallelujah
FYI, he tilework on the Ballfields cafe is absolutely beautiful and has a baseball and home plate motif
Any word on Saperavi, the Georgian restaurant slated to open on Amsterdam b/w 79th and 80th? They’ve had signage up for months now but seem to have hit a snag.
It was open last night
As long as we are asking about storefronts with signage, what’s up with the Wegmans in thehr old Bed, Bath and Beyond location across from Lincoln Center?
Glad to see that Janie’s is moving to a more visible location, those pie crust cookies are DELISH!!
Those cookies may not be life-changing, but they are darned good. They’re really tiny pies, and an assortment served with vanilla ice cream is an easy dinner party dessert.
Did 94th Star Deli even ever open or did it close before it ever opened. I don’t ever recall actually seeing it in business. I don’t recall anything actually being there since the hardware store was there.
Yes it was there for at least a year and was hardly a deli but a front for a drug dealing business.
Masa Kanai is fantastic. Tommy is an artist, so glad for their success and hope it continues with the beautiful new location!
OMG I was terrified when I saw Janie’s on this list, thank goodness they’re just moving/expanding!!
Hi! What about the new Blank Street on 80th and Columbus?!
Boring private equity owned coffeeshop. Barely news
Love the story behind Janie’s and excited for the growth! Congrats
YoYo Chicken at 106th St & Amsterdam Ave. opened Monday December 8th.
More mystery sauce that looks like Russian dressing!
What kind of business is Amsterdam Deal Depot?
I panicked when I saw Masa Kanai in the headline. Thankfully an expansion and not closing! They are terrific and Jairol is the only person who can cut my son’s hair!