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History of Tribeca Buildings
Bluestone Lane coffee is on its way to Tribeca
The owners of 109 West Broadway wrote to say they have leased the Summer Day Café space at the corner of Reade to Bluestone Lane coffee, which just opened its first outlet around here in Battery Park City and seems lovely. The Aussie takeover of Tribeca continues.
Wishing them all the success in this space, especially since we have had a few false starts there (though Delphi went the distance). You have all heard me rant before about that enclosed sidewalk cafe, which is my #1 pet peeve, documented here with clarifications by James. But I think I am slowly coming to terms with it even though I can still imagine how gorgeous the wide West Broadway sidewalk would look and feel were it gone gone gone.
But back to Bluestone Lane: 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.
And here’s a bonus from the owners of the building — the tax shot from the 1940s:
9 Comments
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We need a laundromat, not a café. Thank you.
Signed, Tribeca resident of 30 years
That would be great! I love them and now have to go up to the Village.
They have such lovely cafes. Would be nice to fill the empty space here.
Amazing addition!
Love this and happy to see that space rented – hopefully the location will work for them!
Good to hear.
Very excited to have Bluestone in this too long vacate space. Excellent coffee and food.
Good news but hopefully the service here will be better than is typical of Battery Park loc.
Great to read these comments (and feedback). The reception from the Tribeca community has been terrific and we’re just so excited to be able to open in this pandemic. I look forward to meeting you.