The iconic bagel shop closed on Thursday, prompting an outcry of sadness amongst neighborhood residents and Columbia students. 

Absolute Bagels, a beloved bagel shop on the Upper West Side, confirmed that it has permanently closed after failing a Department of Health (DOH) inspection on Wednesday. Commonly heralded as one of the best bagels in NYC, Absolute had served the UWS since the early 1990s. However, the DOH found “critical violations” on December 11, including “evidence of rats” and “live roaches in [the] facility’s food or non-food area[s].” 

UWS newspaper The West Side Rag first broke the story Thursday afternoon, reporting Absolute’s tentative closure after patrons noticed a sign reading “We are closed” taped to the shop’s exterior. Multiple employees reportedly cited “many problems” contributing to the closure, including the age of the owner, Sam Thongkrieng. The Rag later confirmed the closure Friday morning, after Rafe Evans, the broker who first leased the space to Absolute 30 years ago, affirmed that Thongkrieng was shuttering the location. However, Evans assured The Rag that “another bagel store is the highest priority and best use of the space” and that it would be listed by the end of the week. 

Absolute’s closure marked the loss of a prominent UWS institution, prompting outcries of sadness and despair by neighborhood residents, shop regulars, and Columbia students. Bagel lovers described it as “devastating,” “a cataclysmic event,” and “like a death.” On Sidechat, an anonymous social media app for University students, users lamented the loss, with one post saying, “Don’t mind me I’ll just be staring at absolute bagels [sic] in longing and sadness.” Despite its undistinguished look and cash-only policy, Absolute garnered TikTok fame as one of the best bagels in the city. However, as residents have attested, Absolute has long been a UWS staple, with lines around the block every day.

Absolute Bagels is not the first Columbia favorite to close in recent weeks. Both Strokos and Niko Coffee + More, a deli and cafe on 114th Street and Amsterdam Ave, appear to be temporarily closed, according to The Rag. Popular burger joint and bar Mel’s permanently shut down last year, with a Raising Cane’s location to take its place. 

Absolute Bagels via Bwog Archives