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The Coffee Shop (New York City)

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This article is about the defunct American restaurant. For other uses, see Coffee shop.

The Coffee Shop (or Coffee Shop) was a restaurant and bar located next to Union Square in New York City. The restaurant opened in 1990 and closed in 2018. It served Brazilian food.

The Coffee Shop
The Coffee Shop in 2008
Map
Restaurant information
Established1990 (1990)
Closed2018 (2018)
Street address29 Union Square West
CityNew York City
Postal/ZIP Code10003
Coordinates40°44′11.5″N 73°59′27.5″W / 40.736528°N 73.990972°W / 40.736528; -73.990972

History

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Site and operating history

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Before The Coffee Shop opened, the building was home to a coffee shop and cafe called Chase.[1] The owners of Chase had placed a large neon sign outside the building reading "Coffee Shop" and the new tenant took its name from the sign and left it attached to the building. The tenant of the space occupied by the restaurant directly before it opened was a diner, Nick’s Coffee Shop.[2] The Coffee Shop opened in 1990.[3] Russell Simmons hosted his 1992 birthday at the restaurant.[4] In 1993, the Coffee Shop changed part of its space into a venue for private parties.[5]

The New York City Department of Health ordered the restaurant to close for a period in 2007 after it failed an inspection.[6][7] In 2015, the restaurant's owners opened a taco restaurant, Taco Shop, in the space next to The Coffee Shop.[8]

Closure

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In mid-2018, the restaurant's owners announced it would close in October 2018.[9] It is one of several restaurants on Union Square that have closed due to rising rents.[10] The restaurant hosted a final party before its closure.[11] Portions of the space formerly occupied by the restaurant were rented to a Chase Bank branch and a location of the vegan food chain By Chloe.[12][13]

Reputation and staff

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The restaurant was known for being popular with celebrities and members of New York's fashion scene.[14][15] Several notable former members of the Coffee Shop's staff include dancer Emery LeCrone,[16] politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,[17][18] and actress Maya Rudolph.[19]

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The restaurant served what the New York Times characterized as "vaguely Brazilian food".[20] The New Yorker referred to the menu as "Brazilian-inspired".[21] The restaurant served drinks made with cachaça.[22]

References

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  1. ^ Sietsema, Robert (9 October 2018). "A Farewell to Coffee Shop, a Union Square Icon Closing on Sunday". Eater. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  2. ^ Brookhiser, Richard (2015). "My Union Square". City Journal. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  3. ^ Krader, Kate; Tarmy, James (20 July 2017). "How Rent Spikes Are Creating Fine Dining 'Deserts' In New York City". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  4. ^ Pener, Degen (11 October 1992). "EGOS & IDS; You Look Familiar . . . A Supermodel, Perhaps?". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  5. ^ Deutsch, Claudia H. (19 December 1993). "Commercial Property/The Shifting Nature of 14th St.; The Hub of Change Is Union Square". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  6. ^ Chan, Sewell; Konigsberg, Eric (13 March 2007). "Another Restaurant Is Shut for Health Code Violations". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  7. ^ Bruni, Frank (5 April 2007). "Hard to Spoil New Yorkers' Appetites". Diner’s Journal Blog. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  8. ^ Landman, Beth (13 October 2015). "Coffee Shop Team to Open Next Door Spinoff, Taco Shop". Eater NY. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  9. ^ Merwin, Hugh (12 July 2018). "Union Square's Iconic Coffee Shop Will Close". Grub Street. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  10. ^ Vianna, Carla (2 January 2019). "Longtime Union Square Restaurant Blue Water Grill Shutters". Eater.
  11. ^ Carlson, Jen (15 October 2018). "End Of An Era: Photos From The Coffee Shop's Final Day". Gothamist. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  12. ^ Lynch, Scott (25 July 2024). "Bless the Vegan Gods, for Chloe Coscarelli Is Back in the West Village". Hell Gate. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  13. ^ Lynch, Scott; Carlson, Jen (12 December 2019). "Vegan Chain By CHLOE Opens In Former Coffee Shop Space In USQ". Gothamist. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  14. ^ Malloy, Joanna (13 August 1990). "Beauties of the Night on Union Square". New York.
  15. ^ Goodnough, Abby (5 June 1994). "NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: UNION SQUARE; Coffee Shop Faces Inquiry By the State". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  16. ^ Stuart, Elaine (11 November 2011). "Stepping Into the Future". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  17. ^ Cadigan, Hilary (7 November 2018). "Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Learned Her Most Important Lessons from Restaurants". Bon Appétit. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  18. ^ Miller, Lisa (11 February 2022). "The Unprecedented AOC". Intelligencer. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  19. ^ Adams, Nathaniel (11 October 2018). "Sex, Drugs and Mojitos: The Coffee Shop Story". PUNCH. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  20. ^ Henneberger, Melinda (11 September 1994). "Once and Again, a Flatiron Boom". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  21. ^ "The Edge of Night Life". The New Yorker. 7 May 1990. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  22. ^ Hamlin, Suzanne (1 June 1994). "Toast of Brazil Goes International". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
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