Alison Roman Is Opening a Shop Upstate Next Month

Food personality Alison Roman is opening First Bloom, a corner store and provisions shop, in the former home of a pizzeria with upstairs guest rooms, Table on Ten, in Bloomville, New York. A launch date has been set for September, according to the team. Since a controversial exit from the New York Times, she’s focused on her Substack, “A Newsletter” and “Home Movies,” her YouTube cooking series. This is her first store and Roman fans have already flocked: it is probably the only Catskills-area general store that can say it has nearly 13,000 followers before opening its doors. The website lists hours as Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

A Los Angeles coffee shop lands in NYC

As previously reported, Los Angeles coffee roaster, Dayglow, is making a home in Brooklyn in a coffee shop that will double as a bar. Its first NYC location debuts today, Friday, August 25, in Bushwick, at 8 Wilson Avenue, between Noll Street and Flushing Avenue. For its first weekend, the team is giving out free coffee, matcha, and beer. Coffee bean bags (from 15 international roasters) and pastries by Danish coffee shop La Cabra, now with two locations of its own in Manhattan, will be available for purchase. By the end of September, Niteglow, with cocktails and beer, will launch, according to founder Tohm Ifergan.

Archestratus has closed its original shop

Paige Lipari opened the cookbook shop and food provisions store, Archestratus, in 2015 at 160 Huron Street. In 2021, she expanded two doors down, converting the new space into the bookstore area, and the original into an expanded cafe with more seating room. As of a couple of months ago, Lipari downsized: she has shut down 160 Huron Street and is transitioning the 164 Huron to be the solo home for cookbooks, refrigerated goods, and soon, pastries, sandwiches, and more. A sale of kitchen appliances and other items continues on Saturday and Sunday.

Governor wants to expedite work authorization for asylum seekers

Governor Kathy Hochul announced yesterday notice of a program that would potentially expedite New York State’s ability to help asylum seekers gain employment, for which the Department of Labor would be directed to help connect them to employment opportunities so they can begin working immediately after obtaining federal work authorization. “Restaurants and other small businesses across our city need workers to keep their businesses running and are prepared to hire them,” said Andrew Rigie, head of the NYC Hospitality Alliance. Asylum seekers with work authorization in New York can now register for assistance here. — Melissa McCart, editor