Congratulations to our 2016 honorees, the “Moms & Pops” who keep the West Side the West Side.
Central Park West (at 67th Street)
Set within the Central Park Scenic Landmark, Tavern on the Green restaurant is a perennial destination that just speaks “New York”. The Victorian Gothic building was designed by Calvert Vaux and built in 1870 to house the sheep that grazed in the Sheep Meadow. The first use of the space as a restaurant was in 1934 and over the years several additions altered the space dramatically (who can forget the shimmering spectacle created by Warner LeRoy in the 1970s?). A 2014 restoration by new concessionaires Jim Caiola and David Salama referenced old photographs and drawings to help return the building’s historic character. This remarkable restoration sets the stage for a warm, celebratory gathering space for present and future generations to enjoy.
Horse & carriage owners/drivers
For locals and visitors alike, a carriage ride through the Central Park Scenic Landmark is a unique and pleasurable way to experience magnificent landscapes designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. Brothers Ian and Colm McKeever have introduced the park to enthusiasts for a combined total of more than 60 years(!), continuing a historic tradition as old as the park itself. The park was designed to be viewed from carriage, horseback, and by foot on paths specifically laid out so everyone can also can see other park-goers. Leaders of the horse carriage owners and drivers, the McKeever brothers fought legislation backed by wealthy political donors to ban carriages from New York City…and won!
…for their outstanding value to our neighborhood’s culture and character
179 Columbus Avenue (at 67th Street)
67 Wine is celebrating 75 years as a destination for outstanding wines and spirits. Consistently rated one of the best wine shops in New York, its 8,000+ bottle collection spans the globe. This full-service shop is headed by the second generation of Weisers and staff knowledge runs deep. While the bountiful oak shelves have held countless vintages over the decades, 67 Wine isn’t slowing a step. Climb the stairs (noting the store’s many awards and vintage photos) to the cozy tasting bar any evening and raise a glass to the future of this Upper West Side classic.
715 Amsterdam Avenue (at 95th Street)
A neighborhood staple since 1933, three generations of family owners have made Albee Baby the Upper West Side’s premier destination for all things baby. Albee’s began nearly 100 years ago with Alexander Weintraub’s bicycle repair stand on a Manhattan street corner. Bikes led to strollers and the corner stall to a store in one of the city’s most kid-friendly neighborhoods. Al’s children and grandchildren joined the business, building albeebaby.com into a top online resource for baby gear. Eight decades in, Albee Baby takes pride in providing customers with the products they need and the service only family can give. Still need that stroller fixed? No problem. No appointment necessary.
541 Amsterdam Avenue (at 86th Street)
Venerated by generations of Upper West Siders, Barney Greengrass, the landmark restaurant, deli, and appetizing store, opened in Harlem in 1908 and has been a fixture on Amsterdam Avenue since 1929. Aka the “Sturgeon King”, Barney Greengrass is all about family—the three generations of Greengrasses who lovingly built the business and the innumerable New Yorkers who treat it as an extension of their own kitchens, consuming smoked masterpieces at simple formica tables. Things haven’t changed much over the years (including the 60-year-old wallpaper), accolades and film cameos notwithstanding!
2299 Broadway (at 83rd Street)
Harry’s Shoes has been a mainstay of Broadway commerce since 1975. Started in the Bronx in the 1930s by Harry Goldberg, it is now run by third-generation Goldberg siblings. A 2012 expansion more than doubled the size of the flagship store and created a separate children’s store a few doors down. What hasn’t changed is Harry’s dedication to its customers—its patient, knowledgeable staff members are well known for their ability to size up the most maltreated arches. Harry’s Shoes fits the UWS like a great pair of…well, you know.
180 West 76th Street (at Amsterdam)
The reputation and goodwill of Riverside Memorial Chapel has developed over the past 110 years, during which time it has earned a reputation for professionalism and sensitivity to special secular and religious needs. Today’s Chapel had its origins on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in 1897, moving uptown to Lenox Avenue in 1916. The present building on Amsterdam was built in 1926, where it has become an integral part of the community, serving the traditions of all with the utmost respect and attention to detail.
2270 Broadway (at 81st Street)
‘It’ll change your life’. Thousands of women have become believers after a bra fitting with a savant Town Shop staff member. The Upper West Side lingerie institution recently moved across the street from its original 1888 location to a roomier new space on Broadway, still run by the same family. Owner Danny Koch learned the business by watching his grandmother Selma Koch make sales at Town Shop. The fitting ladies have been honing their craft for multiple decades and get ready, guys—the expanded store has added a section for men’s underwear. After 125 years, the magic just keeps happening in the fitting rooms at Town Shop.
2245 Broadway (at 80th Street)
Jerry Seinfeld first told his future wife he loved her at the Zabar’s fish counter (many decades after this family-owned mainstay opened in 1934). Jerry was neither the first nor the last to proffer expressions of love near one of Zabar’s specialty counters. Heralded as the ultimate source for classic New York eats, Zabar’s evolved from a market stall in Brooklyn to a counter inside a supermarket on Broadway to a building of its own. Roasting coffee in the 60s; a housewares section in the 70s; “You’ve Got Mail” in the 90s…today, a new generation of foodies is discovering what legions of fans already know: shopping local gets you the best of the best at the best price.
…for their special contributions to our neighborhood’s fabric.
2201 Broadway (at 78th Street)
Apthorp Pharmacy opened in 1910, just a few years after its namesake Landmark building was built. On this beautiful block, it is possible to not only picture life a century ago, but to also enjoy the personal, quality service that only an independent, neighborhood pharmacy can deliver. For those who have watched in dismay as small local businesses have been replaced by national retailers, Apthorp is more than a pharmacy. It is a neighbor that understands the needs of the UWS community and an irreplaceable link between the com-munity’s past and present.
2485 Broadway (at 92nd Street)
Anyone who has stopped by “Cleo’s” to take in a set or two can attest to the uniqueness that is Cleopatra’s Needle. An UWS fixture since the ‘70s, Maher Hussein and his brother took over in 1989, moved it a few blocks and have been serving Middle Eastern food and live music for more than 25 years. Imagine ‘Cheers’ as a jazz bar—although it’s New York, so everybody may not know your name. Try a jazz open mic night, when the house trio helps turn dreams into reality for anyone with a song in their heart and no gig of their own.
2350 Broadway (at 86th Street)
When Ernesto Gallardo arrived on Upper Broadway in 1970, it was to work with jeweler Leo Blau, who himself had already been in business for 45 years. Within six years, Ernesto had bought out Mr. Blau, in the process moving to larger quarters on 86th Street and adding his own name to the awning. With the help of family, including his wife, son, brother, niece, and daughter, Liza, who is Gemological Institute of American (GIA) certified and now runs Ernesto’s, the jeweler has built a loyal clientele who value integrity and individualized care…even beyond rubies.
2264 Broadway (at 81st Street)
The Eye Man, the destination for eyewear on the Upper West Side, has been family owned and operated since 1976. Locals can still find owners and licensed opticians Richard Baum and Lloyd Chautin behind the desks, just as they have been for the last 40 years. One happy change is the many children in the shop—hence the constantly replenished jelly bean bowl. When The Eye Man first opened, Broadway was considerably rougher and the shop operated out of a 100 square-foot sliver of space. As those original clients grew up, the shop expanded, and now new generations are receiving the honest, personalized service Rich, Lloyd, and Hedda are well known for.
985 Amsterdam Avenue (at 108th Street)
Hardware, paint, glass…you name it, Iglarsh Supply Company has it, serving generations of Upper West Siders since 1943. The current owner, Pat Rella, took over in 1987, continuing the Iglarsh tradition of helping keep neighborhood buildings in good repair and running smoothly. With son John now managing day-to-day operations, this family-run business heads into its 75th year as strong as ever, quietly supporting and meeting the needs of a historic community that needs all the good building stewards it can get.
2199 Broadway (at 78th Street)
La Caridad 78 bills itself as “serving the Upper West Side since 1968”, and in that chronology lies a great story. Cuban-Chinese restaurants emerged as a uniquely New York concept in the 1960s when Chinese refugees from the Cuban Revolution arrived in neighborhoods like the Upper West Side. The dishes they brought with them were Cantonese interpretations of Cuban standards and the food was plentiful and affordable. La Caridad 78 is one of the few remaining destinations for Chino-Cubano cuisine and one that many New Yorkers think of with special fondness.
102 W. 86th Street (at Columbus)
Long before Jean-Georges, there was La Mirabelle, a neighborhood tradition serving classic French bistro cuisine since 1984. Authenticity is the daily special at Mirabelle—patrons return week after week, decade after decade for the fresh ingredients, traditional menu, and intimate family atmosphere. Any given evening might find a table celebrating a major milestone, a local returning after a season at the beach, or a nervous couple sharing a first dinner date. All are warmly received with inimitable French style and are, for the evening, part of the La Mirabelle family in the heart of the quartier.
2781 Broadway (at 107th Street)
In 1985 brothers Orlirio and Roberto Martin transformed their successful Latin specialty market, originally opened in 1970, into Martin Brothers, the beloved wine and spirits emporium. Four years ago, the leadership passed to Orlirio’s daughter, Elizabeth. She remains dedicated to maintaining the legacy built by her father and uncle and keeping Martin Brothers Wine & Spirits a staple of the local community. Residents and business of the Upper West Side can continue to count on the service, attention, and passion for all things wine and spirits of this dedicated local business.
2429 Broadway (at 89th Street)
Offering much more than just fish, Murray’s Sturgeon has purveyed fine specialty foods at its legendary Broadway store since 1946. Through the narrow shop’s single plate glass front window, the view is quintessentially New York UWS. The food critic Craig Claiborne called Murray’s ‘’perhaps the finest in the city.’’ New York magazine proclaimed it the ‘’Tiffany of smoked-fish stores.’’ New Yorkers of all kinds drop in for the atmosphere as much as the smoked and pickled delicacies. When it comes to Murray’s Sturgeon Shop, the word “legendary” fits to a T.
209 W 96th Street
PlantShed began life more than 30 years ago as a local Upper West Side florist and today serves New York City and beyond with fresh flowers, unique plants, and delivery services. Their love and passion for flowers and plants made them work hard to be the best in city-wide flower delivery. PlantShed is also leading the way as an eco-minded florist, with a sustainable greenhouse, plus gardening services. Their unique handcrafted arrangements, beautiful bouquets, indoor or outdoor plants, and gardening supplies help make it possible for everyone to make their own corner of the city bloom.
2246 Broadway (at 80th Street)
Through the rise and fall of retail giants, bibliophiles keep returning to the stacks of Westsider Books. Some may remember Westsider’s earlier incarnation as Gryphon Books in the mid-1980s. They may also remember Dorian Thornley, an employee at Gryphon, who with business partner, Bryan Gonzalez, bought Westsider in 2002. They appreciate both diehard and first-time visitors who stop to marvel at Westsider’s towering shelves of rare and used books and perhaps pick up a new read for their subway trip. As independent bookstores continue to fight for a foothold, it is more important than ever to support those that remain and celebrate the special character of these neighborhood institutions.
