By Scott Etkin and Lisa Kava
Yellow Submarine, a children’s haircut salon, will open at 512 Columbus Avenue (between 84th and 85th Streets) on November 11th. The space used to be Reamir Barber Shop, which closed that location last November and consolidated with the shop at 303 Columbus Avenue (74th Street). Yellow Submarine offers “non-toxic hair care for children of any age,” according to its website, which says they have a “calming design” that addresses the needs of children with ADHD and other sensory issues. This will be Yellow Submarine’s first location. (Thanks to Yvonne for the tip.)
Malka, an Israeli kosher restaurant by chef Eyal Shani, is opening at 161 West 72nd Street (between Amsterdam and Columbus) on November 7th. Malka, which means “queen” in Hebrew, has a location in Tel Aviv, Israel, and the new Upper West Side restaurant will be its first iteration in the United States, according to Time Out New York. Shani is a celebrity chef known for the Miznon restaurant chain, which has some locations in NYC. The space used to be Shani’s own restaurant, North Miznon. (Thanks to Robin for the tip.)
Sempre Oggi, the Italian restaurant backed by restaurateur Robert Guarino (of Playa Betty’s and 5 Napkin Burger), is planning to open in November at 164 W. 75th Street (east of Amsterdam). As previously reported, Sempre Oggi will be a seasonal, semi-upscale restaurant. Guarino recently named Phillip Basone, who has previously worked at the restaurants Barbuto, Le Crocodile Restaurant, and Elmo, as the head chef. The space, which used to be the popular Italian restaurant ‘Cesca, is being renovated. The interior design is inspired by the modernist Italian architect Gio Ponti, and includes mirrored columns and a tiled bar.
Mom’s Food Market, a deli and grocery store, has opened at the corner of 110th Street and Manhattan Avenue. The store has a pantry area and a counter for prepared take-out food including salads, sandwiches, quesadillas, wraps, and more. It replaces a Starbucks. (Thanks to Gary for the tip.)
Specialized, the cycling brand, has a new sign up at 430 Columbus between 80th and 81st Streets, but there are actually no changes at Hilltop Bicycles, the existing bike shop at this storefront. Hilltop is owned by Specialized and it carries their equipment, according to two attendants in the store. The Hilltop brand is still active and its other store in Brooklyn is also owned by Specialized. Founded in 1974 and based in California, Specialized makes innovative gear and bicycles for road cycling, commuting, mountain biking, and for kids. Before the space was Hilltop, it was the longtime home of Bicycle Renaissance, which closed in December, 2020, due to the pandemic, and reopened under the new ownership in 2021.
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It looks like shelves are being loaded into the old Harmon store on Broadway near 76 st. Is something opening up there?
Halloween warehouse
Could someone bring a home goods store back to the neighborhood please?? Bed Bath Beyond is gone and Lechters no longer exists. It’s a real drag not being able to pick up everyday household items any longer. Too many nail salons, coffee places and restaurants. Where’s the variety?
Basics Plus on Broadway between 83rd and 84th (west side) is excellent, with especially friendly service. The ground floor is everyday supplies; the basement is an everything-you-need hardware shop. https://maps.app.goo.gl/Dzkgdq5haCRC7LKr5
University Housewares and Hardware at 114 and Broadway. They have pretty much everything, and super helpful and knowledgeable staff.
Maybe not enough customers out there who agree with you & that is why they all went out of business.? Plus their customers just bought the items from Amazon.
try the discount stores for basics
There are a few hardware stores on Broadway in the 70’s and 80’s that sell household items and Zabars has household items upstairs, too.
Brickman’s Ace Hardware on Columbus between 89 and 80 has a good selection of housewares and garden supplies, too. (Though not qquite as extensive as the late lamented Aquarius.) And Schweitzers, on Columbus between 81 and 82 has a lovely, albeit high end, selection of bed and bath linens.
There’s a store called Home Goods on Columbus Avenue.
ON 99TH AND COLUMBUS.
Hopefully the bike store has over night charging stations IN the store.
Sempre Oggi: mirrored columns and a tiled bar? UGH! Sounds more like a semi-upscale bathroom. People have been snookered into believing that these cheap, low-maintenance, and incredibly noisy surfaces are trendy. I used to go to Cesca many years ago when I lived a block away and loved the quiet elegant ambiance.
LOL semi-upscale bathroom!!
While we’re at it… anyone care to define “semi-upscale?” The seats in the front are upscale and the tables in the back are downscale?
Hey, if downscale pasta costs $20 less, I’ll take it!
semi-upscale = semi-downscale.
There is a new sign in the window where Brunch is supposed to open that says “coming soon” so maybe before New Years?!
…of which year?
(But seriously…I hope it’s soon)
I’m thrilled for all the openings, of course, but I’m watching in fascination/horror at the end of the brick-and-mortar world as we know it. One of the other commenters referenced it: as we buy more and more online, there are increasingly few stores to buy goods (like hardware or housewares or clothing), Instead, businesses tend to be services (nails, docs-in-the-boxes), food, or banks, with some phone stores thrown in. Not that shopping was everyone’s favorite thing to do, but think of all the things that you could shop for within blocks of your apartment. Gone. We’re seeing the emergence of a different world.
Shopping was a big draw for me to move to NYC in my 20’s. I loved the diversity, uniqueness, and fun of discovery that was available (and is STILL available in many many other cities large and small).
Head downtown and you will see very unique shopping all over- East Village, West Village, LES, Nolita etc.
I would add that book stores are on the rise too.
Sadly, if my building is anything to go by- the younger residents of the UWS order everything online. So boring.
There appears to be work being done in the Marshall’s storefront Broadway and 77th St. Anyone heard anything?
The building has to be torn down because they failed the height requirements. Nobody knows what happens after. But the place was a unsafe monstrocity.
Isn’t there another Hilltop on the Lower East Side?
Looking forward to these new openings on UWS. The problem with restaurants now are their costs are so high that menu prices have gotten out of hand. NYC keeps raising real estate taxes 8 to 20% a year for landlords and then the retail tenants have a huge tax bump as well which causes inflation every year in NYC.