….a fast casual vegan takeout place. Whatevs!
You are currently browsing the monthly archive for May 2015.
Farewell soon to Benny’s Laundry on 13th St., just the latest small business to fall to rapidly rising rents. Sigh.
Later this year, Capital One will open a new banking concept in New York City’s Union Square with a large café, operated by Peet’s Coffee, and an upstairs lounge that will function as a communal work space, complete with free Wi-Fi.
Not unlike the Apple Store, the bank will serve customers with mobile tellers, who will have iPads on which they will handle transactions, rather than the standard glass window setup.
The bank already operates a number of Capital One 360 Cafés, where customers are invited to enjoy coffee while they learn about ways to manage their finances, but the upcoming location takes a page from the rising popularity of communal office spaces, which are increasingly common in New York City.
The basement of the café at 853 Broadway will be used as a classroom. Customers can take courses on mortgage financing and other topics.
The elevated café concept is expected to expand beyond Union Square; the bank is reportedly already looking to open a location in the SoHo neighborhood, but a deal has not yet been made.
The Union Square Partnership Annual Report is full of fascinating statistics. Check it out.
Our building (c. 1940)
