17-04-2025
New bagel shop to open in former Absolute Bagels location on Upper West Side
UPPER WEST SIDE, Manhattan (PIX11) — A new bagel shop on Manhattan's Upper West Side is in the works. It's set to replace an iconic business that had been there for nearly 40 years.
A steady stream of Upper West Siders walked past the new signage outside the former location for Absolute Bagels with curiosity on Wednesday. Many neighbors say the closure in December left a hole in the community.
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'Best bagel in New York City,' said Upper West Side resident Mark Fleischman.
Upper West Side resident Abraham Alvarez said, 'The taste, it had a bit of sweetness, some sourness. A little expensive, but a good size. They were good.'
A place so beloved, many customers said they were willing to overlook the slew of health violations the business received from the city before it closed.
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When asked if he was OK with the violations, Alvarez said, 'I did want them to [stay open]. I would check my bagel for bugs.'
Fleischman said, 'The health violations were pretty grim, but I was totally fine with it. If they'd kept on making bagels, I would have totally been OK with it.'
That's why many people are happy to hear a new bagel shop is opening. But there's a catch. The original business is not back.
Rafe Evans is with Walker, Malloy & Company, the broker for the building. Last week, he signed a new lease for the commercial space with new tenants.
Evans said the new business owners are a group that already owns a few bagel shops in New York and New Jersey.
'They are going to rebuild it from scratch. They need everything. Floors, walls, ceilings, the works,' Evans said. 'We were surprised to see they're calling themselves the new Absolute Bagels. We do get why they're doing that.'
Evans said the new owners have no connection to the family that owned the previous business for 36 years. He doesn't believe the recipes will be similar either.
'Sam, the former owner, was asked if he wanted to sell his recipes, and he said anyone can make a bagel,' Evans said.
Regardless, locals said they are excited that there is new life coming to the area.
'The cyclical nature of economic opportunity in New York is pretty much a staple. There's always something opening and closing. When one thing closes, another opens,' one man said.
Fleischman said, 'We'll see. If it's anything like Absolute, they'll have my business.'
PIX11 News reached out to the new owners of the bagel shop. The group did not want to comment right now, but we're told renovations should take several months.
PIX11 also reached out to the original owners of Absolute Bagels but has yet to hear back.
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