Lots of new stores are cropping up throughout the neighborhood, beyond the big names that get all the attention like Century 21 and Momofuku Milk Bar. I was even offered a slice of pizza from a new place called Primo Pizza 84 on 84th Street between Columbus and Central Park West a couple of weekends ago. Nice people, let me tell you.

Anyway, I’ll be putting up a larger map of all the openings and closings I’ve heard about in the neighborhood soon (thanks to everyone who has been sending in tips; keep ’em coming!), but until then here are three new businesses planning to open soon.

Good old Amsterdam Video, the last sex shop on the Upper West Side, closed its doors for good this summer. And what will replace it at 287 Amsterdam Avenue near 74th Street? An eyebrow threading salon! Eyebrows, as George Costanza noted in the classic Seinfeld episode “The Fix Up”, are apparently important to women, but mean nothing to men.

Jerry:  She’s got great eyebrows, women kill to have her
eyebrows.

George: Who cares about eyebrows?

The cleaners on Columbus Avenue between 75th and 76th Street is being replaced by a paint store called Farrow & Ball. A woman who was walking by while I snapped the above picture exclaimed “Yes!” when she saw the sign for Farrow & Ball. “Their paints are amazing!” she said.

Finally, clothing store Rootchi on 99th and Broadway, is being replaced by a place called STA, or Second Time Around, which is a national chain. Their motto is “Resale Goes Upscale.”