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We're going to be completely honest with you: there has been no official explanation behind the very sudden closure of Absolute Bagels, the iconic bagel shop at 2788 Broadway by 108th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, considered one of the very best destinations of its kind in the city.
Yesterday, New Yorkers walking by noticed the shop was closed and reports quickly popped up all over social media regarding the destination's permanent shuttering, with folks taking to the Internet to express their shock and disappointment.
Although Rafe Evans, the broker who rented the space to owner Samak Thongkrieng 30 years ago, did confirm to West Side Rag late last night that "Absolute Bagels would be permanently closing its operation at 2788 Broadway," no explanation behind the decision was offered.
If anything, Evans himself sounded pretty surprised about the development.
"It was out of the blue," he told the outlet. "It was a bombshell."
Here is what we do know: just two days ago, on December 11, Absolute Bagels failed a Health Department inspection following evidence of rats, live roaches and unsanitary conditions all around. Although authorities shut the place down on that day, it is worth noting that occurrences of this genre happen fairly often within the city's culinary landscape and they don't usually lead to permanent closures—especially when involving destinations as popular as Absolute Bagels.
The consensus online seems to be that, although Thongkrieng was allowed to reopen, the owner was ready to retire and used the opportunity to quietly—albeit shockingly—depart the city's bagel scene.
Although what made Absolute Bagels special was more than the food it served, we seek comfort in the fact that Evans told West Side Rag that the address will likely continue to be a bagel shop.
"There's a ton of interest already from bagel people," he said about the upcoming commercial listing, which he hopes to put online at the end of next week.
We will miss you, Absolute Bagels.