A restaurant called Miss Saigon is opening in the old Uncle Luoyang site at 928 Amsterdam between 105th and 106th. Thanks to Daniel for the tip.
The Mexican restaurant Barnacho looks like it’s opening a new restaurant in the former J.G. Melon space at 480 Amsterdam Avenue (83rd Street). They’re seeking a liquor license for the spot and will go before the Community Board next week. The owners of JG Melon had previously been looking to put a new restaurant in there but those plans apparently fell through. Check out Barnacho’s menu at its midtown location here. Thanks to Upper West Sider for the tip.
The Starbucks at 93rd and Broadway is closing this week, two baristas told our tipster Gretchen. Starbucks headquarters didn’t respond to a request for comment on why, and the store wasn’t answering the phone when we called. It’s the latest in a slow-but-steady trend of local Starbucks stores shutting their doors.
And the Target on 61st and Broadway now appears to have an opening date. Google says it’s opening on October 21 and an employee said it would be a couple weeks. We’ve reached out to their corporate headquarters about whether there will be any opening-day events.
What happened to Saiguette? They haven’t re-opened.
Saiguette closed very early on in the pandemic, like before anyone else. It was weird, no explanation, no notice on their window or door. I imagine they could’ve done extremely well with takeout so it’s been a mystery why they stay closed.
Would love to know when / if Saiguette is comig back, too!
Of all the restaurants that have closed this year, Saiguette is the one I miss the most.
Soups, dumplings, sates, sandwiches, dinners, …sorry, I could list everything on the menu–they’re all made with love. I won’t know what to order first when they come back.
I check their website almost daily in the hope of seeing a ‘reopening’ but so far they remain ‘temporarily closed’ 🙁
Yelp says it’s scheduled to reopen on November 2nd.
Love Saiguette, too. They keep pushing back their re-opening. According to Yelp, they will be open November 1. I also don’t understand why they haven’t been open for delivery. I miss their ribs and banh mi sandwiches!
Love saiguette. Its just a little place run by a few people so not understanding why theyve stayed closed. Also miss szechuan garden
I miss Saiguette SO much.
I’m not a starbucks guy, but that is not a good sign. There have been enough losses in the 90s as it is. Rough times.
Yeah, this is rough. Now people who want Starbucks will have to go all the way from 93rd and Broadway up to 94th and Broadway! (Or is that one closing too?)
hardee har har. Yeah, the proximity of the two locations is silly, but you get WEA’s overall point. Losing a big name like a Starbucks is not good in the current climate. Like he said, we’ve got enough vacancies as it is. How long will this spot sit empty now?
True. But that Starbucks is a wreck. There used to be tsbles in yh3 back, woyh sockets. Yhen they took out the tables and the sockets AND put in, like, that weird table in the back.
Plus there is the Starbucks on 94th – that one is much smaller and has redesigned.
But yeah – nothibg on 93rd on the west side of Broadway, and then 96th. At least the Blockbuster is now a 99 cent store
If you watch Bloomberg TV you’ll know why Starbucks is closing not just on 93rd St.
Starbucks’ business model was showing cracks before covid-19 hit, now things have changed drastically.
First came total ban on indoor dining, then only partially lifted. Thus SB cannot have “customers” sitting for hours turning the place into their local community/senior/after school center. Nor can they have the “WFH” or others that sat themselves at SB for hours to use free WiFi.
IIRC public restrooms (always a big draw for SB) are closed as well due to covid-19 restrictions.
Presumably it’s because much of their custom comes from commuters leaving or entering the subway (it’s right opposite the entrance). Without those travelers, their takings probably don’t cover the rent.
I hope we don’t lose Filicori next — they’re also opposite a 96 St subway entrance, just on 95/Broadway.
Starbucks at 110 & Manhattan has permanently closed as well
What is particularly sad about the closing of that Starbucks location is it is where the book “How Starbucks Changed My Life” by Michael Gates Gill takes place. It is a true story and a good and pretty quick read, endearing you to some of the staff at that location.
Sforno, new upscale pizza, opens on Monday Oct 12, in the old Hot and Crusty space. Bway and 88th. 🧐
It is rather ironic that two chains though their rapid expansion destroyed small “mom and pop” places; Starbucks and Duane Reade, now are in full retreat. Neither can close stores fast enough leaving in their wake dozens of vacant store fronts.
Time was you couldn’t go more than a city block or two without hitting a DR and Starbucks.
Watch for much more empty space as banks close or downsize their branches. Commercial rents are in the stratosphere Landlords will learn in time that there is a new dynamic for rents, perhaps as much as a 50% drop from the highest rents.