No one expected to wake up Thursday morning, December 12th, to the news that the Upper West Side’s beloved Absolute Bagels had closed, but unfortunately that was the reality, and New Yorkers are stunned.
Located at 2788 Broadway, between West 107th and 108th streets, New Yorkers looking to start their day with a bagel from the immensely popular spot were greeted with locked doors and two “We Are Closed” signs on the store’s facade. West Side Rag reports that a longtime employee standing outside of the bagel spot confirmed the devastating news, stating that they’re “Closed for good.”
The employee added “There are many problems. The owner is old.” This morning on Friday, December 13th, however, the Rag received more clarity from Rafe Evans, a broker from Walker, Malloy & Company, who has worked with the ownership group of the building for decades.
Evans confirmed that Absolute Bagels would be permanently closing and mentioned how the decision was “out of the blue,” though the Rag mentions how the closure seems connected to a failed Health Department inspection which took place on December 11th during which the city agency closed the eatery.
The bagel shop received 67 points for violations that included “evidence of rats or live rats,” “live roaches,” and “pesticide not properly labeled or used by unlicensed individual.”
And this wouldn’t be the first time Absolute Bagels had Health Department-related issues–the shop was forced to temporarily close back in 2017 following a health inspection.
Absolute Bagels had been a staple in the Upper West Side since 1992, founded by Sam Thongkrieng (formerly of Ess-A-Bagel) who still owns it today. Naturally, New Yorkers are saddened by the news, with one telling the Rag:
I come here every morning to get a bagel, it’s just part of the morning routine. I think they are the best bagels. It’s quite sad that they are going to close.
Not all hope is lost however–Evans did tell the Rag that everyone agrees “another bagel store is the highest priority and best use of the space” and “there’s a ton of interest [about the listing] already from bagel people.” We New Yorkers can only hope this next bagel venture is just as delicious as its predecessor.
Evans plans to list the space at the end of next week.