Tribeca Citizen | Bluestone Lane opens tomorrow at former BPC LPQ

Bluestone Lane opens tomorrow at former BPC LPQ

March 24, 2021 • Restaurant/Bar News

Bluestone Lane — the Aussie coffee shop chain with 14 outposts in the city and others around the country, will open in the former Le Pain Quotidien spot in Battery Park City — at 2 River Terrace just west of North End Ave. When I went by on Monday (thanks to A. for the heads up) their plan was to open Thursday with hours from 8 to 3, but that is still being finalized. They do have the requisite woven lampshades in place and ready to go.

That is a really nice spot, especially outdoors since it is at the base of the Teardrop Park south extension, just south of Murray.

Founded here in 2013 by Australian entrepreneur Nicholas Stone, the business grew to 52 stores by last winter. But it was all nearly wiped out by covid, when Stone was forced to close 40 stores. An interview with him in The Times in April had this: “A month ago, Nick Stone had a $50 million coffee business, with dozens of cafes in bustling downtowns. Now the coronavirus pandemic has eliminated 90 percent of Bluestone Lane’s revenue, and he has laid off some 700 workers. ‘Everything I’ve put into this, everything all these other people have put into building the company, basically evaporated in five days,’ he said.”

But since then, the cafes have slowly reopened across nine markets, not just here but also in DC, San Fran, Toronto and LA, where Stone now lives. And fun fact: Stone started his career as a professional Australian Football League player for six seasons following selection in the 1999 AFL National Draft.

I have said this before: this is part of the slow but steady takeover of Tribeca by the Australians. What’s next?