Go Down the Shore in the Square

The 4th Quarter Union Square Partnership Business Report, available here, has some interesting updates:

Union Square finished the year strong, with storefront occupancy in the BID1 reaching 91% in Q4 2025 (compared to 85% in Q4 2024). This growth reflects continued   confidence in the district and demand from both national operators and emerging local players. Around Union Square Park, five long-vacant corner storefronts are slated to welcome new business openings in 2026, including global apparel anchor UNIQLO as well as Flight Club and Voodoo Doughnut, both new to NYC.

60 businesses opened in Union Square in 2025 (11 more than in 2024). Q4’s 16 openings ranged from top retailers like Pacsun, Ulta Beauty, and Aritzia (which expanded into a new space three times its previous size), to more intimate establishments like Maison Welles and Stars. Nespresso debuted its 13,000+ SF flagship that merges traditional retail with multi-sensory coffee tastings, interactive masterclasses, and a speakeasy. While Nespresso leads in scale, smaller coffee-forward openings include unique experiences this quarter, including Ioannis Coffee Chef’s “farm-to-cup” workshops and luckin coffee’s tech-driven model. With rising occupancy and a robust tenant pipeline, Union Square enters 2026 primed for an exciting year.

Any day now, in the space formerly occupied by The Adore on 13th.

Visit the newly opened Figa at 15 East 12th St. for what looks to be tasty Italian food.

Nom!, whatever that is, has signage up at University and 11th at the former site of Whitney Chemists. One can assume it will provide food of some sort, but no other details are available yet.

Finally, the big part of the renovation is complete. And the fountain lines up with 5th Ave., which, apparently, was really important to the architects even though no one else seemed to care much.

Sausage Inc. has opened the doomed space on University between 12th and 13th that has housed a bakery, a Philly Cheesesteak shop and Wok New York.