Chase Bank and vegan restaurant confirmed for former Union Square Coffee Shop location

Last fall 6sqft reported rumors that late-night Union Square model-spotting icon The Coffee Shop would be replaced with three new restaurants and possibly a Chase Bank. In June, Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York confirmed the rumors after learning that an application by the bank to open a branch on the 16th Street and Union Square West corner was approved by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Now, Gothamist tells us that the bank will be joined by fast-casual vegan spot by CHLOE, shooting down rumors that an Outback Steakhouse was moving in. The two spots are planning to open in December.

Coffee Shop, which had a cameo role in “Sex and the City,” closed in 2018 after anchoring the corner for nearly 30 years. Run by former Wilhelmina models, the cafe was the rare combination of celebrity clientele and reasonable prices. Another plus: The eatery was open 23 hours a day. Co-owner Charles Milite announced the shop’s closure last July citing high rents, rising expenses–and changing times. A tipster told Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York that the rent was raised to $3 million a year.

Initial reports said that the space would be split among four tenants, but by CHLOE publicist Meredith Sidman told Gothamist that it would only be their restaurant and the Chase bank. Over the summer, Eater was the first to report on by CHLOE moving in. They quoted marketing materials that said “the interior will pay homage to the nostalgic diner by including ‘intimate round banquette seating’ and ‘a nod’ to the restaurant’s original neon sign.”

[Via Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York and Gothamist]

RELATED:

• Union Square Coffee Shop owner is renting Parisian-style Gramercy townhouse for $40K/month
• 116-year-old Yorkville bakery Glaser’s announces summer closing
• 21-story Union Square tech hub gets green light from City Council despite community concerns

This story was originally published on June 14, 2019.