Goodbye Barbetta, hello Body Shop: The businesses opening and closing across NYC

The city that never sleeps is also the city that never stays the same — certainly not on the ground floor, anyway.

Keeping a business going in this town is no small feat. Storefronts often seem to be changing over at a dizzying pace.

The year is young, but already New York has gained and lost numerous businesses, some new and some landmarks.

In a new seasonal column, Gothamist will track the births and deaths of restaurants, bars, shops and other stores and businesses that compose this town.

Sonny’s Corner, 142 Franklin St., Greenpoint

A new watering hole called Sonny’s Corner has opened in the former home of beloved bar Pencil Factory, which shuttered last summer after 25 years in business. Sonny’s hasn’t messed too much with Pencil Factory’s proven success: Its vibe, layout and interiors are quite similar to those of the previous business. Residents just seem happy the space has remained a bar, and one run by local business owners.

The Vaux Social, 570 Vanderbilt Ave., Prospect Heights

A New American bar and restaurant called The Vaux Social officially opened in The Vanderbilt's old corner space on Feb. 19. The restaurant is inspired by London's public houses and offers an assortment of comfort food and classic cocktails in a dark, academic-feeling atmosphere. Menu highlights include three “teeny” martinis for $20, the creamy risotto with butternut squash ($25) and, for dessert, the sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce ($14).

Make Fun Studio, 347 Maujer St., 2nd floor, East Williamsburg

A new collective space for collaborative crafting called Make Fun Studio is now open on Tuesday evenings, by appointment and with 24/7 access for members. The makerspace offers a 1,000-square-foot studio to work in the company of others. Patrons are supplied with glue guns, project storage, cutting tables and fabric, among other materials to assist in the creation of crafts large and small.

Big Reuse, 378 Troutman St., Bushwick

Eclectic, enormous Gowanus thrift store and community hub Big Reuse now has a second location, in Bushwick. The unique environmental nonprofit and reuse center offers a variety of services, including selling second-hand clothing and home goods, as well as organizing volunteer composting and street care events.

Nong Geng Ji, 135-15 37th Ave., Flushing

There are more than 100 Nong Geng Ji locations globally. The first U.S. location of the China-based restaurant chain, which specializes in Hunan cuisine, opened in Queens this January.

Seventy Seven Alley, 28 Cortlandt Alley, Tribeca

A new eatery officially opens this Friday inside Tribeca’s snazzy Walker Hotel. Seventy Seven Alley offers an eight-seat chef’s counter with à la carte options and a seafood-heavy, $140, seven-course tasting menu structured around elemental taste profiles (heat, acid, salt, depth and fat).

Body Shop, 698 Nostrand Ave., Crown Heights

Since New Year’s Eve, the lesbian-owned bar the Body Shop has been offering an all-times $8 beer-shot special, vegan bites and local programming from its straightforward Crown Heights space and enclosed backyard. Look for the neon mermaid and the building’s vintage 1980s sign.

We’ve lost some real ones these past two months, including:

The Bronx Brewery, 856 East 136th St., South Bronx

After 13 years on East 136th St., The Bronx Brewery tapped its final keg in February, although it did tease a possible comeback in its Instagram goodbye post, writing, “This is still our home and we’re doing everything we can to see you in the backyard this summer.” A Hudson Yards location of the Brewery remains open.

Achilles Heel, 180 West St., Greenpoint

The 13-year-old Greenpoint bar Achilles Heel closed on Feb. 8. The business, opened by restaurateur and pioneer of the Brooklyn aesthetic Andrew Tarlow, cited a “protracted period of financial hardship” as reason for the closure in an Instagram goodbye.

Nura, 46 Norman Ave., Greenpoint

Another loss in Greenpoint: Six-year-old restaurant Nura, which threw in the towel on Feb. 15. The eatery and its Indian-inspired menu opened to great acclaim back in 2021, transforming a former auto body shop into one of Brooklyn’s hotter restaurants.

Macri Park, 462 Union Ave., Williamsburg

Oh, Macri Park. The once-lively Williamsburg gay bar, located a block from neighborhood staple Union Pool, was long known as a queerer version of that bar.

The Owl Music Parlor, 497 Rogers Ave., Prospect Lefferts Gardens

Independent music venue The Owl Music Parlor closed up shop on New Year’s Eve. In its decade of existence, the beloved space was known as an accessible performance space for a wide variety of live music from new and acclaimed performers.

Café Un Deux Trois, 123 West 44th St., Midtown

Café Un Deux Trois, a classic post-show retreat, operated in the Theater District for a whopping 48 years.

Barbetta, 321 West 46th St., Midtown

Since 1906, this West 46th Street landmark kept theatergoers fed on Northern Italian cuisine. But after 120 years, it held its last day of service on Feb. 27, just weeks after the passing of its longtime second-generation owner, Laura Maioglio.

Chez Napoléon, 365 West 50th St., Hell’s Kitchen

Hell’s Kitchen also lost a big one this year: After 65 years, West 50th Street’s French bistro Chez Napoléon said au revoir on Jan. 31. The mother-and-son-run French restaurant was a longtime standby for theatergoers and delightfully old school in its aesthetic.

West 33rd Street Sbarro, 159 West 33rd St., Midtown

And last and also least, the West 33rd Street Sbarro has bought the farm, much to the somewhat melancholy amusement of Redditors, who recall it for being mediocre at best. You can no longer judge for yourself.