Several retail businesses have closed in the past few weeks, and some new businesses are opening. Check out a rundown of recent activity.
Paris Fitness on 97th street and West End Avenue closed suddenly last week and all memberships were voided, several readers told us. A note on the door said the gym is now owned by The Wright Fit, a fitness company with other locations in the city.
“All previous members have to sign a new contract but it’s unclear if there will be a rate increase,” one member told us. “It seems like this transition was planned for some time but several members have confirmed that they were, like myself, not informed of any of these details.”
Another person said the previous gym had recently been offering membership deals on Groupon, although we couldn’t locate those deals.
The gym reopened on Monday. The new company promises upgrades to the facility, which some members say had fallen into disrepair. We contacted the Wright Fit, but have not heard back.
Area Kids on Amsterdam between 81st and 82nd streets closed this month. A sign on the door offered no explanation but urged fans to “please visit us at our Brooklyn stores!” Thanks to Rebecca and Eric for the tips.
NYC Hearing Associates is opening a new spot on the ground floor of 45 West 67th street next month. Find out more about them and their audiologists here.
Copy Experts has closed after many years at 215 West 92nd street. There’s another location at 90th and Broadway. Thanks to Linda Rosenthal for the tip.
A new Dramatics hair salon opened on 72nd street between Amsterdam and Columbus in the former home of a nail salon.
We have heard from several people that a new location of Bed, Bath and Beyond is slated to open at 100 West 93rd street (Columbus Avenue), a building that will be getting a Party City store soon. One reader even said people who live in the building have been getting Bed, Bath coupons for the new store. But a Bed, Bath spokesperson told us “At this time, I do not have any information on a store scheduled to open on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.” That could mean it’s not happening, or simply that they’re not yet ready to announce it. (Trader Joe’s issued a similar statement before they opened on 72nd.)
I had heard a Trade Joe’s was opening at that location – is that not true? I think giving the shopping option of Gristede’s, which is awful, everyone nearby would relish a Trade Joe’s.
RE: PARIS FITNESS CENTER. The gym facility was sold to the new owners (as of June 2013) of 752 West End Avenue. The new gym owners are 752 UWS GYM, LLC; DOS ID #:4512969; Initial DOS Filing Date:JANUARY 14, 2014.
WRIGHT FIT was retained to manage the facility. Both the club and the building. 752 West End Avenue. now belong to the developer Crescent Heights.
Crescent Heights has luxury buildings all over the US and usually provides amenities such as child play space and health club facilities. This new acquisition seems to fulfill CH’s goal of a gym facility for the tenants-to-be. Demolition is underway in 752 WEA to create 3- and 4-bedroom apartments for high-end luxury rents. The gym is merely part of CH’s plan for amenities for those future tenants.
So does this mean that Paris won’t be available to people outside of the luxury building?
I joined Paris when i first came to the UWS… it was a real old-fashionedc neighborhood place. i haven’t been a member in years, though… was thinking of joining again.
Is Bed Bath and Beyond good for that area or not? Brings foot traffic to a dead area of Columbus but is not very sexy obviously. Thoughts?
I think a Target would be preferable to B,B, & B. There already is one on 65th St.
Target would be nice. A space that large is sure to be a chain/big box store anyway, so it’d be nice to see something we don’t already have in the neighborhood. The Lincoln Center BB&B is pretty accessible from anywhere on the UWS, but the Target in East Harlem (or in Brooklyn!) really is not.
The Dramatics NYC salon has actually relocated from its longtime location on Columbus and 74th. I went in the new place on Saturday and was told that their old landlord wanted a 15% rent increase.
Well, if tenants are getting Bed, Bath and Beyond coupons that OBVIOUSLY means they’re about to open a store. Because, you know, those coupons are hard to come by *cough*
I am a resident (and unit owner) at 100 West 93rd Street & have received nothing from Bed Bath & Beyond. Building management has so far refused to tell unit owners what businesses are leasing space in the building (except for Party City).
I disageed with the community board’s decision to allow the building’s owner to destroy the open space those of us who live in the building enjoyed. There is plenty of retail in the area already and that open space we had was a true joy in an already very well developed area.
What a tragedy to lose an empty courtyard when all you get in it’s place is multiple big stores that could be used by thousands of UWS residents! There’s a small park a block east of you to check out if you’re looking for some outdoor space.
ba-zing!
The new managers at the Paris Health Club are off to a roaring start. Within days of their taking control…
1.) the gym was closed for a day, with no notification to members or employees
2.) the pool was taken offline
3.) the wifi and cable went out. They have yet to be repaired…though I’m sure Verizon would have sent out a truck within a day if asked
4.) the hot water was turned off in the showers and locker rooms
5.) the temperature on the main gym floor on Thursday morning was 38 degrees. (Not an exaggeration….that’s what the thermostat on the floor said)
I’m not usually one for conspiracy theories, but it sure feels like the new ownership is trying to pare its membership as much as possible, to reemerge with a new (and undoubtedly more profitable) version of the club later. Possibly one with limits on members who don’t live in the building?
UPDATE on the former Paris Health club. As of February 11, the pool is still closed. The new club “West End Health and Fitness” is sending out emails to former members to “share the love” and to sign a new contract by the 14th of Feb. or else risk having to pay an initiation fee. Seems they have decided they need some cash flow. The new contract seems to provide them with many outs (including stating that members may incur financial risk if they pay for a year up front and the club suddenly closes). Anyone really know what is going on here? Things seem fishy.
A big box type store will completely impact on what is a residential area.
It will no longer be commercial space for local residents. Instead it will be commercial space for hordes of people who come to a shopping destination. That means more people, more garbage, more traffic (delivery trucks, cars etc) and more crowds in local restaurants. And one big box store just starts the snowball effect in the neighborhood…
Fro Yo place at 95th and Broadway (NW corner) also closed. There was never anyone in there so not too surprising.
Think I am in minority yet cannot understand wanting a Bed Bath & B or worse a target on this spot. There is a BBB 3 stops away on 1 train or a 10 minute bus ride. Would add to the continued diminishing character & overcrowding of UWS, I understand folks want comfort & convenience,yet think of what you are losing, look at so many blocks on UWS and see what’s there, banks, drug store, fro-yo, I mean hop on LIRR and you can find miles and miles of neighborhoods just like this, is this why we live in NYC ?
We really need a Trader Joe’s in this neighborhood given the grocery store choices.