A growing number of longtime businesses on Manhattan’s Upper West Side are facing challenges as neighborhood vacancies persist and business owners cite rising costs and changing consumer habits.
At Harvest Kitchen, where the restaurant says its guacamole has been voted among the top four in the nation, business remains active. The restaurant has employed more than 40 staff members for nearly two decades, but owner Jeremy Wladis said its future is uncertain.
“The economy is crushing us, tourism is crushing us. Every company tries to hit you with a fee for delivery now. People’s new diets, so they’re not drinking and eating as much, after Covid people learned they could stay home and watch anything that ever was on a computer, TV, or phone,” Wladis said…