By Lisa Kava and Julia Ornedo
Cafe Alon, a kosher coffee shop and artisanal bakery, is coming to 200 West End Avenue (between West 69th and West 70th streets), this fall. The expected opening date is in November, a spokesperson wrote to West Side Rag in an email. The shop will serve pastries, baked goods, gourmet sandwiches, fresh salads, and fresh burekas (Israeli pastries made with puff pastry or filo dough), baked in-house daily. Hours of operation are expected to be 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week. Cafe Alon is owned by Israeli restaurant operator Ofer Puder and it is named after his son Alon. “In Hebrew, Alon means oak tree—sending a message of nature stability and strength,” the spokesperson wrote. “Cafe Alon is designed to serve as a high end kosher Mediterranean cafe experience with a strong community identity and premium product positioning.”
Pura Vida Miami, a health-focused casual cafe chain, has signage up at 211 West 84th Street (at Broadway), in the new condominium The Henry. The cafe serves all-day breakfast, salads, bowls, sandwiches, wraps, and bakery items. It offers various vegan and gluten-free options. It also serves smoothies, acai bowls, wellness shots, and cold pressed juices. Pura Vida Miami was founded in Miami Beach by husband-and-wife team Omer and Jen Horev in 2012. The chain now has numerous locations nationwide. This will be the ninth location in NYC for the brand; others are in Nomad, Williamsburg, Nolita, Bryant Park, Dumbo, and Flatiron, and on Bleeker Street and the Upper East Side. We will update when we have an expected opening date.
JECT, an aesthetic treatment spa, has signage up at 324 Columbus Avenue (between West 75th and West 76th streets). JECT specializes in medical-grade treatments such as botox, fillers, microneedling, chemical peels and laser treatments. JECT has other NYC locations on the Upper East Side, and in Brooklyn and the West Village. It also has locations on Long Island, and in Florida, New Jersey, and Los Angeles. Democratic Congressional Nominee Micah Lasher was temporarily using the space this spring as his campaign headquarters. Prior to that, Teddy’s Collection, a gift shop which closed in March, was in the space. (Thanks to Ashlee for the tip.)
T-Mobile, a wireless provider, permanently closed its store at 2016 Broadway (between West 68th and West 69th streets), on August 1st. Signage is posted on the door saying “Visit us at a store nearby,” and listing the Upper East Side, Times Square and Midtown East stores. The T-Mobile website also directs customers to these locations. As of this writing, T- Mobile has not responded to West Side Rag’s outreach asking for a reason for the closure. (Thanks Dan for the tip.)
TSS Phones and Computers, an electronics repair shop for cell phones, computers, and iPads, at 70 West 86th Street (between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue), is closing on September 29th and moving to 493 Ninth Avenue (between West 37th and West 38th streets). In addition to repair, the shop buys and sells used phones and computers. There is a 50% off sale and a table of trinkets listed for $5 and up outside the shop. (Thanks to Maggie for the tip.)
Wu’s Dynasty, a traditional Cantonese restaurant, is having a soft-opening dinner service for family and friends on Thursday, and will open for normal business on Friday, a representative told West Side Rag in an email. (Reservations are required for Thursday; walk-ins are welcome on Friday and thereafter.) The restaurant, at 208 West 70th Street (between Amsterdam and West End avenues), will serve dim sum, Cantonese-style seafood, and more. “We hope to provide our neighbors a good place where they can enjoy Cantonese food, and where they can hang out with friends and family,” owner Derek Wu wrote to the Rag in an earlier email. Wu is known in the culinary community for his work as a founder and manager of Wu’s Wonton King on the Lower East Side, which he left to start Wu’s Dynasty. The space was previously Tavola Della Nonna, an Italian-American restaurant that opened in 2020. Wu’s Dynasty will be open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily; reservations can be made by phone, with contact information available on the restaurant’s website, linked above.
ICYMI:
Sweetgreen, the salad and bowl shop, at 311 Amsterdam Avenue (at West 75th Street), was shut down by the Health Department after an inspection on August 24th. Read West Side Rag’s coverage of this news here.
Barzini’s, a longtime independent Upper West Side grocery store, at 2451 Broadway (between West 90th and West 91st streets), closed on August 31st. The market had been in the space for over 40 years. Read West Side Rag’s coverage of this news 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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I don’t think Cafe Alon can be kosher if they’ll be open 7 days a week the same hours. They would have to close earlier on Fridays in the winter and open after sunset on Saturdays to be certified kosher.
I am looking forward to Pura Vida Miami opening; hopefully it will be a fine alternative to Panera Bread which is obcenly overpriced.
The T Mobile store closure is part of a wider push to transition customers to their T Life app and have a smattering of brand flagship stores.