Best Restaurant Recession Deal

Allbirds, the shoes that Silicon Valley loves, signed an 8,000-square-foot lease deal with The Bromley Companies at 120-122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District. The clothing and shoe company will be moving into the two-floor space at the Bromley building after The Gap moved out in the summer of 2021 after nearly 30 years. The retail space on West 17th Street and Fifth Avenue will serve as Allbirds’ U.S. flagship store. The sudden vacancy left by The Gap marked the first time in four decades that the retail location had been empty, having been home to the first Barnes & Noble superstore in the nation prior to the clothing store coming to the Flatiron.

Enjoy beloved films under the stars at these free outdoor screenings presented by Alamo Drafthouse on four select Thursdays in Union Square Park. Arrive early to enjoy fun pre-show activities starting at 7 p.m., and bring your own blanket to secure a cozy spot before the movies begin at 8 p.m. Limited seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

2025 Schedule:

• July 24: The Muppets Take Manhattan

• July 31: Men in Black

• August 7: The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

• August 14: 13 Going on 30

As the new multimillion-dollar condos at 15 Union Square West continue to develop, it’s fun to look at this great 19th-century photo of what the Tiffany Building looked like in its prime. Note that some of the people on the street have been added later by an artist.

Toy store chain Toys “R” Us filed for bankruptcy protection last September, and it has been downhill ever since. Today, the company informed 33,000 employees it would be selling or closing all of its 700 U.S. stores, according to published reports. In addition, Toys “R” Us said today it would close its 75 remaining stores in the U.K., CNN reported, after failing to find a buyer to save it from insolvency administration, which is similar to bankruptcy. (It already closed 25 stores in Britain.) Stores in New York State include a Babies “R” Us at 24-30 Union Square East and a Babies “R” Us at 139-19 20th Avenue in College Point, Queens.

The corner of 4th Ave. and 13th St. will soon be the home of the latest outpost of Sandwicherie, which makes…sandwiches. The fast casual dining revolution continues.

Go here to see a photo of the first Earth Day in Union Square, April 22, 1970. In the photo you can even see a bit of our building.