By Lisa Kava and Natalie Demaree
Teddy’s Collection, a home goods and gift shop at 324 Columbus Avenue (between West 75th and West 76th streets), is closing on March 23rd due to owner Stefanie Fischel’s health issues, she told West Side Rag on a phone call. “Everything that I stood for in the store had a social impact story for it,” Fischel said. The store is having a closing sale, including high-quality and barely used store fixtures, from now through the closing date, she said.
Fischel is looking for volunteers to help with the sale, and is asking potential volunteers to contact her by email at stefaniedfischel@yahoo.com or by phone at 917-327-7360. “I could use help anytime including getting elephants, glassware, and other great items back into my store from my apartment for sale,” she wrote to the Rag. Teddy’s Collection, named after Fischel’s 85-pound dog, opened in the summer of 2024. Boisson, a non-alcoholic beverage shop, was previously in the space before it closed in April 2024.
Springbone Kitchen, a health-focused cafe, has signage up at the northeast corner of West 86th Street and Columbus Avenue. It was founded by two young professionals living in NYC who were looking for simple nourishing, homemade food to go, according to the website. The menu includes various bowls, salads, soups, smoothies, sides, and desserts. All broths are made in house. Springbone has 10 other locations in NYC in addition to one in Washington D.C. and one in MIllburn, N.J. The last tenant in the space was Three Star Coffee Shop which closed in 2014, and the space has since been vacant. (Thanks to Max, Angelo and Yvonne for the tip.)
A Cut Above, a dog grooming salon, closed its location at 73 West 83rd Street between Central Park West and Columbus), on February 28th due to a change in ownership, a representative told West Side Rag on a phone call. The salon’s other Upper West Side location at 143 West 69th Street (between Amsterdam and Columbus avenues), will remain open, and clients are welcome to book appointments there, the representative said. (Thanks to Jill for the tip.)
EuroOptica, an eyewear boutique at 463 Amsterdam Avenue (between West 82nd and West 83rd streets), closed on March 1st, moving all operations to its larger Upper West Side flagship store at 280 Columbus Avenue (between West 73rd and West 74th streets). “The EuroOptica UWS flagship features two floors, an expanded selection of eyewear, and a doctor on staff most days of the week,” owner Stephen Royzenshteyn wrote to West Side Rag in an email. “The space is larger and designed to offer an even more elevated eyewear experience with a friendly and welcoming team.” EuroOptica has another location on the Upper East Side. The Amsterdam Avenue store was previously called Modern Day Optx.
Gelato Factory at 2205 Broadway (between West 78th and West 79th streets), in the Apthorp building, closed at the beginning of March. The shop opened in December 2023 and sold gelato flavors such as Rum Raisin, Cherry Mania, Tiramisu and more. It also served sorbet, crepes, and milkshakes. Gelato Factory had overall positive reviews on Uber Eats and Yelp, but received a C rating on inspection from the NYC Department of Health; it’s not known whether that contributed to the closing. (Thanks to David for the tip.)
ICYMI: Jing Fong, a Cantonese and dim sum restaurant at 380 Amsterdam Avenue (between West 78th and West 79th streets), has closed. Read West Side Rag’s coverage of this closing here.
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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How does a gelato place get a C rating? Yeesh
Maybe it wasn’t raisins in the rum raisin?
As someone who used to work for a Health Department expeditor, “C” is obviously very bad and next step is being shut down. A famous macaron place in Manhattan got a C grade a few years ago and were complaining to my boss about the drop in business. The client should have been yelling at his kitchen and wait staffs, especially those with the food protection certificates.
Click on the “C Rating” and see. All I can say is eeewwwww.
Neuhaus Belgian Chocolate is opening at 189 Columbus Ave (Previously Vive La Crepe!)
Glad to see them back! There was one on Broadway near Barnes and Noble years ago and as a non-drinker, it was always my go-to stop to pick up a nice little box as a hostess gift when visiting a friend.
All these stores will not be missed. Springbone will be gone within 2 years.
Springbone actually has pretty good food. Way better than another 12 years of a vacant store front…
Now I can’t decide between Springbone, Sweetgreens, Just Salad, Honey Brains, Naya, Playa Bowls and the three different bowl places they pretend to have at Wonder! So many bowls.
Go to the supermarket. Buy lettuce, tomatoes, and all of your other favorite topics. Assemble a salad at home. Much easier. And it will likely actually taste better. These overpriced salads drive me nuts.
I would like to exclude Naya from this as I like them and what they make is different.
Interesting- I’m not a fan of Naya. (I make great salads – but love Sweetgreens – (but yes $$$$
more corporate slop bowls!
Good morning to you too!
While I’m sorry about any shop closing, how does a store owner on Columbus Avenue ask for “volunteers?” Workers who get paid, yes, … but not volunteers.
It’s pretty simple. Stefanie Fischell has health issues forcing her to close her store and she needs a hand. You needn’t help out.
Agree.
sounds like probably friends of the store
Always baffled that the space at 86th and Columbus had remained vacant since 2014
I heard the property was owned by two brothers who disagreed and they split the building into two tax lots. But the fight dragged on for a while.
Sad news about Gelato Factory. Maybe the frigid winter weather contributed to the closing. I hope another nail place doesn’t move there.
The place advertised “made fresh daily” and. yet, the same containers of gelato were visible through the window at all hours.
Twelve years since Three Star Diner closed is crazy. Springbone Kitchen looks remarkable like every other new food chain but they do this really unique thing with the food: they put it all in a big bowl for you! How convenient. They don’t even bother with sandwiches or wraps, just bowls and soup. But it’s better than a vacant space for 12 years.
Truly. And there’s a newish acai bowl place just across the street. I hope the trend toward mushy, mixed-up, semi-liquid food that doesn’t require much chewing goes away soon. It feels infantilizing and reminds me of the time I cared for a very sick person who had to have all his food blenderized. (If you’ve never had a ham-and-cheese smoothie, don’t.) But yeah, I suppose Springbone is better than that dreary empty space .
At least açaí is supposed to be consumed like that!
I loved the Gelato Factory, I’m sorry they closed. I thought their ice cream was amazing.
Though I did have doubts about their claim that all ingredients were imported from Italy! Seriously? Important milk and sugar from Italy to make ice cream?
But their orange peel ice cream was the best, especially paired with some chocolate ice cream. I will miss it.
Jing Fong was wonderful downtown – Never really found its groove on the UWS.. c’est la vie
I too loved the Gelato Factory I thought their Gelato was the best. But once I saw they had a grade pending that was on there what seemed like forever it gave me pause and I didn’t go back. Glad I didn’t read it.
Gelato factory I believe owned by the same company that owns the weird Nut Factory. They claimed it was made “fresh everyday” which was incredibly easy to see was a lie. C rating. Good riddance.
What’s going on with CasaSalvo? A sign says closed for renovations until Feb 23…
I’ve been wondering that too! Just yesterday I emailed Casasalvo via its website and Chef Salvo promptly wrote back that he’s waiting for delivery of new coffee machines and expects to reopen within two weeks of their arrival.
I hope so. The UWS may be becoming over-caffeinated, but Casasalvo is a treasure.
What’s going on with the space next to Luxembourg on West 70th and Broadway? They started construction. There’s also something under construction on the other corner on West 70th, just East of Broadway.
It was previously reported here that it is going to be a Chinese restaurant. Given the size of the space, presumably upscale.
Or a huge buffet. It could go either way.
Just found out Texas Rotisserie on Bway is also closing. It is my favorite. They have one on the Eastside that is not as good.
A huge loss. And the eastside one is not related to them anymore.
If you haven’t yet tried their seasoned fries, only a few more days to enjoy them, and they’re fantastic.
Nooooop! I love them.
Anyone know what’s going in to the former Bed Bad Beyond location at 90 and Broadway?
The food scene here is really a shame. Why aren’t there more reasonably affordable, low key places, something other than fast food or gussy and expensive? I miss Big Nick’s still.
Me too. Big Nick’s was a simple place with reasonably priced tasty traditional options without all these “bowls”.
Ugh. All closings.
Regarding an opening. ?. Just noticed ..concrete was set for an entrance ramp for site on B’Way and 109th Street (S.E.corner)…said to be for a TACO-BELL.
Confirmation pending …from the S.W. Rag?