1) Upper West Side: If it's a new year, surely it's time for a new Starbucks? Above, the 'Bucks at Broadway and 63rd, which Joyce Cohen notes is rumored to be opening Thursday at 5pm. We understand crowds are queuing as we type this. [HuntGrunt]
2) Harlem: Reports Harlem blog Uptown Flavor, "In the midst of the transfat travesty a new Popeye's appears on the corner of 135th Street and 7th Avenue." Click through for the blurry plywood, and a reader bemoaning, "Another piece of Harlem History is now gone." [Uptown Flavor]
3) Soho: Culture blog Lfstyle points us to news of book publisher Taschen's new Soho store, due to open as soon as January 12. The store has been designed in conjunction with starchitect Philipe Starck, natch. [Lfstyle, Official Site]
4) Dumbo: A new children's store offering "modern children’s furniture, clothing, toys, and home decor", Modern Tots, opened on January 3, per a report by blog Dumbo NYC. What does the store say about the neighborhood? Oh, you know: "They join Pomme and Half Pint in Dumbo where there are increasing number of young families." Mmmhhmmm. [DumboNYC, Official Site]