Is the tide turning against the proliferation of Manhattan chain stores? No, but it's fun to speculate. Soon after some East Village business owners declared war on the likes of Starbucks and the Central Village unleashed its bank backlash, two more interesting bits of news have surfaced. First, a New York Press story on the long-vacant retail space at Broadway and West 87th Street. The family behind the Zabar's grocery store owns the space, and the reason they have had trouble finding a tenant is partly because they refuse to rent to a bank. They want to find a retailer that will "add something to the community," a list that apparently includes the likes of Uniqlo or Ricky's, so we're not talking revolution here. But still, interesting. And this morning, Racked has the scoop on the shuttering of the Starbucks at 21 East 8th Street, just north of Washington Square Park (teary signage above). Yes, a Starbucks in the heart of NYUville closed. We're a little scared right now.
· Morning Java: Goodbye Sweet, Sweet Starbucks [Racked]
· Empty UWS Storefront's Owners (and Their Agenda) Revealed [NYPress]
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