Vanishing New York Backup

VANISHING After news about the Upper West Side's Fine & Schapiro closing for renovations, word has come out that it will not be reopening. photo: Manhattan Sideways On Facebook, Manhattans Sideways reports, "Fine & Schapiro, an institution on West 72nd Street since 1927 has closed. They have very sadly lost their lease as confirmed by the staff members who have worked here for decades." Another tipster writes, "The landlord jacked the rent." *Update: West Side Rag reports, “They had two years left on their lease. Business was slow. Because of their age and bad health, they decided to close. That’s the story,” said Joe Kizner, manager of the building. The paper was unable to get in touch with the owners of the business.

VANISHING? Book Culture has been on the Upper West Side since 1997, when it was founded as Labyrinth Books. Since then, it has expanded from one to four shops. It's a great local business and much beloved. But now, owner Chris Doeblin has announced in a letter (below) that Book Culture is in danger of closing--but it's unclear why. UPDATE: I spoke with Doeblin about the situation. He told me that his landlords have been "terrific." Columbia University is one of them and "they're trying to keep us open and have made adjustments over the years." Amazon, however, "has just been devastating. A huge number of people shop there without being reminded enough of the value of having storefronts in the neighborhood." The biggest bite, right now, says Doeblin is the 50% increase in wages . "We've not been able to grow fast enough to deal with the increase," he told me, "and we've had to lay people off. But I think we can make...

Last week I reported that Westsider Books was closing . This week we heard the good news that it has been saved. The following is a guest post by Janice Isaac: Westsider Books is a wonderful used bookstore stuffed with books in every possible space. They could no longer afford to stay open, and locals were devastated. Apparently, non-locals were as well. Bobby Panza, a West Sider who doesn’t even know the owners personally, but who knows the store and values its uniqueness, started a GoFundMe to help keep this treasure alive . He’d been inspired by owner Dorian Thornley commenting about being able to stay open if they had $50,000 from crowdfunding. Thornly says he was “amazed and shocked...quite taken aback” when he saw, on Facebook, the campaign to save the store. The GoFundMe quickly reached its goal (thanks to donations ranging from very modest to several in the thousands), and Westsider Books will stay. Locals are overjoyed. I live in the neighborhood and have loved walking...

VANISHING Located at 81st and Broadway, the great Westsider Books has just announced they will be closing. Another heartbreak for New York City bibliophiles. Owned by Dorian Thornley and Bryan Gonzalez, the shop opened in the 1980s. They call it "the last used bookstore on the Upper West Side." But the neighborhood keeps on changing, filling up with more money and more chains. “It’s all different now," Gonzalez told Narratively a few years ago. "There’s more money here, and the people have changed, and so have their tastes. Not that long ago, the city gave you a sense of belonging to something unique, exciting, cosmopolitan. Now what you find here, I can find in a Jersey mall." Westsider is a wonderful, authentically New York shop, packed from floor to ceiling with books. When I was taking classes in the neighborhood, I would stop in every week and always walked out with a book in hand. Recently, Westsider had a cameo in the excellent and very New ...

In good news for bookstores, Shakespeare & Co. has opened an outpost on the Upper West Side. From the press release: The new store is located at 2020 Broadway (between 69th and 70th Streets) and opened its doors Saturday, November 17. The Upper West Side is a homecoming for Shakespeare & Co. as the original flagship Shakespeare & Co. opened at 81st and Broadway in 1982. “I am thrilled to be returning to our original home on the Upper West Side. We see this as sort of a happier ending to You’ve Got Mail, where Shakespeare finds a new location a few blocks south,” says Dane Neller, the CEO of Shakespeare & Co. “The welcoming and good will wishes from the local residents have been overwhelming. The sales at the Upper West Side store were record-breaking over the weekend.” The company’s expansion plans continue as the Greenwich Village store is slated to open at 450 Sixth Avenue near 11th Street (the site of the old Jefferson Market store) in the spring of next ye...

As I first reported in April , the shuttered Lincoln Plaza Cinemas has attracted a band of angels working to bring it back to life, including Norma Levy, who told me at the time, "I decided there has to be a way to recreate the cinema. It's too tragic to lose." Now, with New Plaza Cinema Inc., we're getting a new version of the cinema. Through a press release today they announce a partnership with the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan "to host first run and independent films in its 250-seat auditorium throughout the summer." “We’re excited that the JCC has graciously agreed to screen our films this summer,” said Levy. “We’re working to find a more permanent venue which will offer first run and independent films.” Toby Talbot, who co-founded Lincoln Plaza Cinema with her late husband, Dan Talbot, supports the New Plaza Cinema’s goals. She says, “Although Dan is no longer with us, I’m sure he would have been heartened—as am I—that a band of devoted theate...

When Lincoln Plaza Cinemas closed this past January after almost four decades in business, many New Yorkers were heartbroken. People talked of saving it , with nearly 12,000 signing a petition to keep it running, but it shuttered just the same. In the fight for this beloved movie theater, one long-time Upper West Sider took action. Norma Levy is a Yale Law School graduate and practicing lawyer. While she has done non-profit work in the past, she told me she has "never done anything like this" before. For Lincoln Plaza, she just had to do something. "I decided there has to be a way to recreate the cinema," she said. "It's too tragic to lose." At the memorial service for cinema co-owner Dan Talbot a few months ago, Levy handed out flyers asking people to help revive Lincoln Plaza Cinemas. Thirty people showed up for a meeting and together they formed New Plaza Cinema Inc. The group has enlisted two Lincoln Plaza veterans who chose the films ...

VANISHED Scaletta Ristorante has been on the Upper West Side for 30 years. Recently, I walked by and looked at its old yellow sign and thought I should check it out, because the old yellow sign seemed like an indication of something authentically New York and a little bit hidden. It also made me think: That can't last. Now I won't get the chance because the landlord gave Scaletta the boot. Last night was their last night. West Side Rag reported the news and shared Scaletta's note to customers, which included this pointed bit: "You might be wondering whether we were yet another victim of astronomical rents? Well, to eliminate any speculation, here’s the story. Yes, our rent had steadily climbed up, but no, it wasn’t the ultimate reason for our closing. In fact, we were willing to stomach yet another rent increase, and invest in gut renovating our space and committing to another decade or more. No, the truth is we simply weren’t wanted. Our landlords covet...

UN-VANISHING It's rare when bookstores open. It's rare to get any good news in this town about local businesses. And yet. Yesterday we heard that Shakespeare & Co. is opening two new stores in the city. There will be one in Greenwich Village, in the spot long occupied by Jefferson Market ( closed in 2008 , turned into a Gristede's, and then a luxury condo showroom ). Another will come to the Upper West Side at 2020 Broadway, between 69th and 70th Streets. (None for the book-starved East Village?) They are slated to open in the fall/winter of 2018. 2014 I asked CEO Dane Neller a few quick questions. Q: Downtown, we still miss the Broadway location near NYU ( closed in 2014 and turned into a Foot Locker ). Will the new shop on 6th and 11th Street have a similarly curated selection? A: Yes, with more selection since it’s a larger store. Q: With so many bookstores closing across the city, what's the secret to surviving -- and growing -- in the curre...

Last night, Lincoln Plaza Cinemas closed its doors for good, shuttered by the landlord, Milstein Properties, who refused to renew the lease, despite pleas from local politicians and thousands of New Yorkers. The cinema held a memorial last night--for the place and for the man who began it, Dan Talbot, who died just a few weeks ago. Michael Moore was there, along with Wallace Shawn, Philip Lopate, and other speakers. Deadline Hollywood reports today on Moore's speech at the event: “Capitalism killed this cinema," he told the audience, "this evil, greedy, 20th century form of capitalism. The multi-billionaires known as [landlord Milstein Properties] have done this.” The Milsteins, Moore said, “are part and parcel of what this city and liberals have done for a long time — and that’s just to sit back and take it. It’s so strange that this neighborhood, the capital of the left in America, would allow this theater to close. It’s shameful — it should be embarrassing.”...

As you already know, Lincoln Plaza Cinemas is vanishing . The lease was not renewed and its last day will be January 28. We tried to save it , but Milstein Properties apparently isn't listening. Filmmaker Christopher Ming Ryan went to the movies to talk to folks about why Lincoln Plaza is so special--and why it should not vanish: Ryan writes: "We have a message to the landlord, Howard Milstein: make capital improvements on this space, but keep the people who run this theater by offering them an affordable lease. Toby Talbot deserves to stay. I want to enjoy the films they hand pick and continue to support the wonderful staff here--for a very long time. Do the right thing." Over 11,000 people agree--and many more. Sign the petition and let the landlord know what's on your mind.

VANISHED As New York City diners meet their collective demise ( and then some ), overwhelmingly due to skyrocketing rent and denied lease renewals, another one appears to have joined the list. Christopher writes in to say that the Broadway Restaurant at 101st Street has shuttered. There's no sign to say goodbye, or give a reason why, but the shutters have been down for a week and the phone has been disconnected ("temporarily" says the recording--is there hope?). photo from Christopher Asks one Yelp reviewer (where the reviews are glowing), "could broadway restaurant be closed ?? -will be missed if true." Maybe they're just on vacation? Though it seems unlikely. I went to the Broadway only once, happily stumbling upon it while I was wandering the neighborhood for reasons I can't remember. I loved it instantly. I loved the sign outside with its "STEAKS CHOPS SEA FOOD," an indication of a certain vintage, and an increasingly rar...

The online petition to save Lincoln Plaza Cinemas now has over 11,000 signatures. Paper petitions are also circulating and gathering names. Every day, customers ask what they can do to protest the closure. But the closure is coming--in just a couple of weeks. Milstein Properties has not offered a new lease. Before the new year, Dan Talbot passed away . He'd been running Lincoln Plaza with his wife, Toby, since 1981. This week, West Side Rag talked with Toby. As it stands, she will not be part of Howard Milstein's plans for the site, which reportedly include upgrades and a new movie theater, possibly something run by the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Possibly not. On her wish to keep the theater going, Toby said: “Of course I would like to continue running it. And one of the things that grieves me — grieves is hardly even a strong enough word — is that the people who’ve been working with us — and I say not ‘for’ us, but ‘with’ us, some for 35 years — are so devoted...

On Friday, Deadline Hollywood broke the news that the art house Lincoln Plaza Cinemas will be forced to close in January. It opened in 1981. Operator Toby Talbot said that she and her husband, Dan, “did everything we could to ask for the lease to be extended.” But the building owner “is looking to get everything he can. He’s looking to make money.” On Saturday, the theater’s regular customers were all talking about the news. Ivan, the young assistant manager, stood in the doorway of the small office across from the concession stand and commiserated. The clientele of Lincoln Plaza is made up mostly of local senior citizens--people on fixed incomes--and mostly women. It is, in many ways, a gathering place for midtown and uptown women over 65. All day Saturday, they gathered around Ivan. Interior. Movie theater lobby. Day. The lobby is busy but not overcrowded. People sit on benches and stand in line. They read the paper and do the Times crossword puzzle. Some buy popcorn and r...

VANISHING Terrible news this morning from Deadline : "The Lincoln Plaza Cinemas, a temple of the art house movie scene in New York for 30 years, is at the end of its lease and is scheduled to close in January." photo: Z-Mation Co-owner Toby Talbot said "word of the January end date has started to circulate among industry execs and filmmakers, but no notices have been posted alerting customers. She said plans are being made for a formal sendoff on January 21." Deadline further notes that the Talbots "maintained an old-fashioned zeal for cinema, which governed many of their choices." "We had the luxury of choosing films that we knew were not going to be successful commercially, and we could put them on our screens,” said Toby. “We were able to do what we wanted to do."

VANISHED Reader Keith Taillon writes in about the recent loss of yet another affordable coffee shop: "A beloved neighborhood diner in Washington Heights abruptly closed recently, and I don't know why. I visited one week, and walking past a week later, found the space emptied with auction fliers taped to the windows. It remains empty." photos by Keith Taillon "The diner was called Reme, and it sat at the northwest corner of 169th and Broadway. It was a classic NYC diner, open for at least 40-50 years, attracting old timers, hospital workers, students, and newcomers (like myself) drawn to the area by low rents and a sense of 'home' you can't find elsewhere in the city anymore. Part of what made Washington Heights home for me was being able to go to Reme, where I knew all of the employees by face if not by name, and where I knew I could get a good hot meal for just a few bucks." Keith shares a few anecdotes: "- It was cash-only, and...

VANISHING The last Love store in New York City is closing. photo & tip from Mimi Fischer: @mimi_yes_and_u After 35 years, the Love store (discount health and beauty aids) on West 72nd Street will be closing on June 25. Love was once a local, homegrown chain with 35 locations around the city. In the late 1990s, the bigger Duane Reade bought up a bunch of Loves . New Yorkers were not happy about it. One customer told the Times , ''It's just another megastore thing, and nobody likes it.'' In their goodbye note, prominently displayed in their window, the Love people write: "The climate for small businesses like ours has fallen precipitously. This reality is ever present as you stroll along the streets of a city marked by empty storefronts where thriving independent businesses once stood. Many have or will be replaced by national retail conglomerates or consolidated by 'big box' stores. Small businesses like ours also see customers come into t...

VANISHING Liberty House , at 112th and Broadway, is vanishing after 49 years in business. And it's no ordinary local shop. photo: Jed Egan, New York magazine It is the last of its kind, a small chain of New York shops first organized in 1965 by Abbie Hoffman and other civil rights workers in Mississippi to sell goods made by poor women of color, with the profits going back to the original communities, and to support the Civil Rights Movement. I talked to co-owner Martha who told me the shop will shutter at the end of April . They'll be having a sale until then, from 20% to 50% off. This time, it's not the rent. "People aren't shopping," Martha said. "They're going online. It's convenient. They tell me, 'I can sit at home and shop in my pajamas.' But people have to shop local or else there won't be any stores anymore." photo via Liberty House Facebook page The second-to-last Liberty House shuttered in 2007, also on ...

"Depression is a flaw in chemistry, not character," the gold and brown painted sign read. And then it was gone. On a wall high above the Gray's Papaya at West 72nd and Amsterdam, the sign had greeted commuters, hot dog eaters, shoppers, homeless people, and other assorted New Yorkers since sometime in the 1990s. A few months ago, it was painted over, whitewashed and vanished. "Through the years it’s clear the sign had become a comfort to people," West Side Rag noted in their report on the whitewashing. No one knows why the building management decided to wipe it out. And at such a bad time, when so many New Yorkers are feeling the deep blues and could use a little comfort.

There's good news for the vintage neon Mitchell's Liquors sign on the Upper West Side. After reporting earlier this month that the sign was removed , to be junked, I heard earlier this week that it would be returned. Stephen wrote in: "I thought you'd appreciate that it appears the neon sign will be returning. They have remodeled both the inside and the facade and there are definitely new holes placed where neon tubes should go. Can't wait to see it completed!" He sent in the following photo of the new sign in progress: I also heard from William, who wrote: "I passed Mitchell's Wine and Liquor today and the neon sign seems to be going back up! I saw the letters on the ground and they were drilling new holes in the facade to mount them. I also spoke with the workers who said it was, in fact, being reinstalled." And behold! West Side Rag shares the following shot of the new sign--a replica of the old. And Rob writes in, "The new...