Kossar’s is Expanding to the Upper East Side
Kossar’s is on another expansion tear, announcing a new outpost way outside its downtown environs. It’s headed to the Upper East Side with a third eatery.
The iconic Grand Street bagel shop – founded as a bialy bakery in 1936 – recently planted a flag at the southwest corner of East 75th Street and York Avenue. Expected opening date is later this spring – either April or May.
This is the second expansion for the bagel shop in less than a year. The previously announced Chelsea location is still not operational.
Expansion notwithstanding, Kossar’s is not what it once was. It’s now run by Alan Phillips, the guy behind the Friedman’s chain, which itself opened an outpost just next door at 357 Grand Street (albeit on life support). The focus seems more about the brand itself than making bagels and bialys. The Kossar’s name – in white and red – became the most important product to sell.
Kossar’s first opened on Clinton Street as Mirsky and Kossar’s back in 1936, named for Isadore Mirsky and Morris Kossar. It moved to its current Grand Street perch in 1960.
Photo: Bea Moss Productions
Recent Stories
Chinatown Garment Industry Hanging by a Thread
Once a hub of manufacturing for the city’s garment industry, there are only a few remaining factories in Chinatown from a peak in the hundreds. The localized industry, which once employed thousands of immigrant women and men, sparked an area restaurant boom in the 1970s. Yet, began to decline in the late 1980s when manufacturers started […]
Residents Unite Against Developer Plans to Swap Park for Parking on LES Waterfront
Residents on the Lower East Side waterfront may soon lose more publicly accessible outdoor space. The developer of a new super-tall plans to reduce a children’s playground to a parking lot. As excavation work commences on Chetrit Group’s 70-story, twin-towered development at 265 South Street, tenants in the adjacent building – Lands End II – […]
Chinatown Homeless Murder Suspect Still Awaiting Trial
More than two years since the horrific murder of four homeless men in Chinatown, the suspect has yet to be held accountable for the crimes. In the early morning hours of October 5, 2019 Randy Santos stalked, then allegedly bludgeoned to death Cheun Kwok, Anthony Manson, Florencio Moran and Nazario Vasqez-Villegas while asleep on the streets. In […]
Excavation Begins for 70-Story South Street Towers
Cranes, and plywood, and pile-drivers, oh my! Such is the story down on the Lower East Side waterfront. Department of Buildings on April 12 issued official approval to the Chetrit Group to begin foundation activities for its dual 70-story tower at 265 South. A month later, the big trucks are mobilized. While excavation is now […]
For 7th Year Running, Greek Jewish Festival Returns to Broome Street this Weekend
After a more subdued outing last year, the Greek Jewish Festival this spring is on the rebound, pulling out the stops. It returns on Sunday for another go-round. Founded by Kehila Kedosha Janina on Broome Street seven years ago, the event celebrates the culture and traditions of the Greek Jewish community. Years past saw crowds […]
