By Scott Etkin and Lisa Kava

Really Great Things, the high-end clothing boutique on Columbus Avenue between 73rd and 74th Streets, has closed. The spacious glass shop, which had been operating in that space for more than two decades, offered personal service for a curated set of European-designed clothes, shoes and accessories for everyday wear and special occasions. The boutique was the stylist behind some notable figures, such as: chef Carla Hall, former United States Ambassador to the UN Rosemary DiCarlo, and film producer Valda Witt. “The Really Great Things family would like to thank all of our clients, friends and neighbors for a wonderful 26 years at 284 Columbus Ave. Please stay tuned,” the website says. WSR will update with more information soon. (Thanks to Lisa and Faye for the tips.)

Made in New York Pizza opened a new location on Amsterdam between 72nd and 73rd Streets. Less than 10 blocks away from the pizzeria’s existing store on 80th and Amsterdam (which remains open), the second shop serves to “increase our delivery footprint,” they wrote in a message to WSR. While the new shop doesn’t have a delivery driver yet, it currently makes deliveries within a few block radius. The Infatuation wrote that it’s a good pizza option on the UWS, if you’re too far south to get to Mama’s Too. The new shop takes the place of Joe Coffee. (Thanks to Joeanna for the tip.) 

Royale Cleaners at 689 Columbus Avenue (on 93rd Street) has a “temporary disruption at their storefront,” as of September 6th. A sign on the door informs customers to call or text (212-662-5935) to arrange pick up of outstanding dry cleaning or laundry. “We are in a bit of a situation right now as there are issues with the landlord,” the manager told WSR. “We are hoping this is temporary and are trying to work it out.” Royale Cleaners is still operating, the manager assured us. “Customers can call us to drop off laundry and dry cleaning, which we will then send to our warehouse and arrange to return when clean. Please call a day in advance, to give us notice.” If Royale Cleaners is unable to agree on a deal with the current landlord, they will look for a new storefront in the neighborhood, the manager said. (Thanks to Mark for the tip.)

El Coco, a taqueria with locations in Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen, has opened at 104 West 73rd Street, near Columbus Avenue. Open daily from noon to 10pm, it has an “all day happy hour” featuring $5 margaritas, $4 tacos, and $3 empanadas. In the back of the restaurant, there’s a covered patio, which fits around 30 people, and is also available for private events. El Coco replaces Portofino Sun, the beauty and tanning salon.

Columbus Gourmet Food on Columbus between 72nd and 73rd was closed by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Division of Environmental Health. The pizzeria and deli had a “B” grade posted in its storefront window from its last Sanitary Inspection, issued in April. (Thanks to Mark for the tip.)

Note: WSR saw workers carrying fixtures out of Columbus Gourmet on Wednesday afternoon around 4:00 PM.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

I think they’re both very good but definitely prefer Made in NY to Mama’s Too now.

You have to try the vegetable square slice from Made in NY. Heaven. Mama’s Too is delicious but the dough is too heavy and chewy, I feel like I ate a brick afterwords. Made in NY square is light and crispy.

Sad to read of the closing of Really Great Things, It was the kind of specialty shop with personalized service that’s practically impossible to find these days. Couldn’t afford to shop there at all often, but when you needed their services there was no place like it. I hope they find a place to carry on the business with perhaps less of a store-front presence. I’m sure loyal clients would find them wherever they managed to land.

I couldn’t afford to shop there at all, but I loved looking in the windows. Such unique fashion. I’ll miss their holiday decorations, too.

I passed their window every day for months walking home from work, admiring a dress in the window each time. I finally decided to walk in and find out the price of the dress. I approached a saleswoman and asked. In a whisper (I swear she was a bit embarrassed to tell me) she said “75” to which I asked, “75 what?” to which she answered “$7500.” That was for one dress–and it was about 15 years ago. They may have beautiful clothes but their prices were prohibitive for most of us.

Was that dress by any chance a gray number with a sort of ruffled pleating kind of winding around the skirt? Sort of off the shoulders a bit? I was captivated in that same time period by such a dress that in my memory was spotlighted in the window, and always hoped for a big enough occasion to “by appointment only” someday. Alas, the occasion never came, and nor will my appointment now.

Columbus Gourmet 🙁 They were there a long time. Always fast and had great chicken noodle soup.

Re: Columbus Gourmet I was told by someone who is a relative or friend of the owner, just before he entered the store, that they are remodeling and will reopen. I hope so. It was a great neighborhood restaurant.

Very glad to have a 2nd Made in NY Pizza a little further south. Much better IMO than nearby Pizza Collective – too frou frou – and Little Italy – soggy slices on a scuzzy block.

El Coco is a great addition.

I can’t spend $5 for a slice of pizza. It’s still $3 outside the city.

I suspect that many things are cheaper outside the city. Are you going to leave town to buy everything?

La Vera on 2547 Broadway is $2.75 a slice and it’s very good. The slice at any Famous Famiglia location is $3.27 and also very good.

Still 99 cents on Broadway and 55th.

Based on the above photo, Really-Great-Things should have put a sign in its window: ‘For Sale: two headless/armless/legless mannequins…oops…personnequins. Would make a great chew toy for large dogs”

Please lower the rents so businesses can move in.

when i moved into my apartment, where ‘Nice Things’ was, there was a real, original double storefront candy store / newspaper store. i feel lucky to have experienced the neighborhood when such things existed. and on the corner of 73 and Columbus was a ‘get your overstuffed couches reupholstered’ store. both dated back to the 1930s

The Last Wound Up was right there too. A store that earned a piece of my heart

Seeing how Frank Badali isn’t with Made In NY anymore, I wonder if the place has lost its raison d’etre. He was the pizza guy and co-founder. When founders leave, bad habits abound and people cut corners…no pun intended. Maybe someone here can vouch for their slices at the new location.

I live near Mama Too’s. Owner is nasty. Pizza is lousy.

Also agree re the owner. He has turned me off to their pizza. Not to mention the pounds of salt in every slice, obviously a necessary ingredient, but more than any other pizza I’ve ever had.

unfortunately, the owner thinks he’s the king of new york. it’s sad that he has a behavior problem.

Made in NY Pizza is pretty good. I think it’s the best on UWS. Re: Mama’s Too, My cousin and I found the owner downright gruff and nasty and shouldn’t be in the front. Check out similar comments on Yelp. It took forever to get get a single slice. It was ok, but not worth the trip. I’d love a Joe’s Pizza on the UWS

So sad to learn Really Great Things has closed. Their wares and window displays were always stunning, and I so loved looking for them as I walked up Columbus Avenue. There were so many dresses I fantasized about owning one day…never happened, of course…but staring at them in their gorgeous windows was often as much fun as dreaming about winning the lottery. I wish them well, wherever their next move takes them

© 2022 West Side Rag | All rights reserved.

© 2022 West Side Rag | All rights reserved.