New York City Cafe & Bar Closes After Only Six Months
After only a short time up and running, Upperz Cafe and Bar in New York City is closing down.
The all-day cafe debuted in November 2024 at 319 E. 14th St., between First Avenue and Second Avenue in the East Village. Upperz, which is owned by siblings Marilyn and Ramon Velazquez, along with a third proprietor, Fern Gellin, will close at the end of the month.
The owners shared the unfortunate news in a statement on social media last week.
"It is with a heavy heart that we announce our closure at the end of this month," the statement reads. "This decision was not made lightly, and we are so grateful for the support and love you've shown us throughout our journey. We invite you to visit us one last time throughout this last week before we close our doors to share memories and celebrate the wonderful moments we've created together. Thank you for being a part of our story. We will miss you dearly! 💔With love and gratitude, Upperz."
In addition to standard coffee and tea offerings, Upperz served various energy drinks and mocktails throughout the day.
From a food perspective, the cafe offered a number of cookies, pastries and pies, as well as bar-style dishes like hummus with buttermilk naan, truffle Parmesan fries and beef & pork meatballs.
"We'd like to offer healing for the community," Ramon Velazquez told EV Grieve last October before the store's opening.
Upperz will remain open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. today through Friday and from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday before it shutters.
New York City Cafe & Bar Closes After Only Six Months first appeared on Men's Journal on May 28, 2025
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