Restaurateurs Danny Abrams and Cindy Smith, known as co-founders of the New England-style seafood restaurant Mermaid Inn, have leased a new commercial space on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The couple has selected the property at 61 West 74th Street for their next project, as Commercial Observer has learnt. Abrams secured a lease for 2,300 square feet of ground-floor space, plus additional basement area. The rent is USD 130 per square foot, according to the brokerage firm Meridian Capital Group.
Strategic Location Choice and Background
The site, located between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West, just about one and a half blocks south of the existing Mermaid Inn, previously housed Patsy's Pizzeria. This pizzeria, popular with locals, permanently ceased operations in January, citing the expiration of its lease and increased costs, as reported by West Side Rag. Negotiations for the new lease were conducted by Justin Losh of Counter Real Estate on behalf of the landlord, Viking Management. Carson Shahrabani and Noam Aziz of Meridian Capital Group represented Danny Abrams.
Carson Shahrabani commented positively on the deal in a statement to CO: he emphasised that Danny Abrams already operates an iconic restaurant, the Mermaid Inn, just around the corner, and it is remarkable to see him develop into the 'LeBron' of the immediate neighbourhood. The Mermaid Inn on the Upper West Side opened in 2024 at 335 Columbus Avenue, after its long-standing location on Amsterdam Avenue closed in 2022.
Expansion and Future Prospects
Abrams and Smith operate a second Mermaid Inn branch in Manhattan's Chelsea district. Furthermore, they own Mermaid Oyster Bar locations in Greenwich Village and Times Square. The concept and name of the forthcoming restaurant at 61 West 74th Street are, according to Shahrabani, not yet finalised. Abrams declined to provide further details on the new lease. Requests for comment from Losh and Viking Management initially went unanswered.
This lease underscores the ongoing dynamism in Manhattan's restaurant sector and the strategic expansion of successful concepts in established districts. The decision to secure a space in the immediate vicinity of an existing, successful establishment indicates confidence in the local market and a synergy with the existing customer base.
