Last H & H Bagel Location Closes

Thus ends the New York reign of H&H Bagels.

The troubled Manhattan institution, which lost its flagship location on the Upper West Side after its owner was indicted for tax fraud and the business filed for bankrupcy, has now seen its final location, on W. 46th Street, close. A city marshal seized the building and turned it over to the landlord.  remaining location of H & H Bagels.

The owner is talking about reopening at a new location. Doubtful, given his money and legal troubles. 

Upper West Side Landmark H & H Bagels Shutters

H & H Bagels, one of the totems of Upper West Side existence, will close its classic Broadway location tonight. (It's closed already as I write this, meaning they didn't even give people a chance to pay a final farewell visit. Other reports said Monday.) 

The shop, a landmark to bagel-loving New Yorkers for 40 years, was the victim of mischief and mishandling on the part of the owner, Helmer Toro. In late 2009, Toro was accused of absconding with almost $370,000 in payroll withholding taxes owed to state and federal authorities from 2003 to 2009. In May 2010, he pleaded guilty to grand larceny in the case, wrote the Times. He was sentence to spend 50 weekends in jail and pay more than $500,000 in restitution.

The factory and shop at 639 West 46th Street will remain open, but who really cares. The real New York experience was visiting the curious, bare, but fancy (chandeliers?) shop at the corner of W. 80th. The bagels were so popular that they sold fast; hence, they were always fresh, and often warm. They were the big, soft sort of modern bagel of which I don't necessarily approve. And the blueberry bagels are just nonsense. But of their type they were excellent.

I've said before that whatever thin veneer of authenticity and integrity the Upper West Side still clings to depends on just a handful of places, among them Zabar's, Citarella and Murray's Sturgeon Shop. It's just lost a mighty pillar.

Some Stuff That's Interesting

Clifford Grodd, the president of the old-style, private-label, Manhattan clothier Paul Stuart (where I once bought a wonderful sweater in 1989 and haven't been able to afford anything since—though I still like the place), died. He is credited with creating the chambray dress shirt, and was a bow-tie advocate. Bloomberg is a regular shopper. So why doesn't he look better than he does? [NY Times]

Lee Lee's Bakery, a Harlem shop known for making the best rugelach in the City, will close its doors next week. [Harlem Bespoke]

Slumlord Sam Suzuki turned himself in to the authorities. [VV]

H&H Bagels' employee-cheating owner Helmer Toro gets 50 weekends in jail and a $500,000 fine. [Grub Street]

More Not-Good News About H&H Bagels

Oy. H&H Bagels gives me tsuris.

Last year, the famous Upper West Side bakery was seized by the tax man and the place closed down for a few days. But, now, there's real trouble.

Helmer Toro, the owner of H & H Bagels, has been indicted on tax fraud charges, announced Robert M. Morgenthau, the outgoing Manhattan district attorney. Can it be that bad? It can. He failed to pay almost $370,000 in payroll withholdings to state and federal tax authorities, and shortchanged the authorities on paying unemployment insurance tax. Dude's facing 15 years in prison and $1 million in penalties. According to City Room:

Prosecutors say that Mr. Toro set up a new shell company every year for six consecutive years, closing down the company from the previous year, in order to maintain a low unemployment insurance tax rate. The longer a company has been around and the more employees it has let go, the higher the company’s unemployment insurance rate will be, according to M. Patricia Smith, commissioner of the New York State Department of Labor.

This makes me furious. I know I should give Toro the benefit of the doubt, but it's not my experience that old man Morgenthau acts before getting all his ducks in a row. What right has this greedhead putz to play fast and loose with a landmark business and city treasure so wrapped on with the soul of the Upper West Side? That it should possibly be sacrificed for one man's avarice and underhandedness is contemptible. H&H is undoubtably a cash cow. And he had to cheat the government and his ex-employees to get just that much richer? Employers who try to get around paying unemployment insurance are, in my opinion, the lowest of the low, gutter-crawling scum.

Let's hope that H&H can somehow survive. What matters to Toro I care not at all.

Drama Over: H&H Bagels Reopens

H&H Bagels, seized by the Feds for non-payment of taxes this morning, was back in business this afternoon.

Seems the tax thing was serious business. H&H owes the USA $100,000 in back taxes and has racked up many tax warrants and leins.

So, what happened? Did they just pull $100,000 out a sack and hand it over the IRS? H&H isn't talking. And the IRS is still wading through paperwork. High drama, folks!

Horrors! H&H Bagels Taken Down by the Tax Man

Sweet Mother of God, how can these things happen?!

Eater reports that the Tax Man has laid a knock-out punch on iconic Upper West Side institution H&H Bagels!!

At 10:15 am an official was posting a 'property seized for lack of payment of taxes' sign...bagels were piled high inside, employees inside, but store was closed by officials." A call to the main office confirms that not just one but both locations (the second is on West 46th St.) were shut down and they have "no idea" when they'll open again, but they're hoping to have it all smoothed out by this afternoon.

The "this afternoon" stuff is encouraging. Sort of. But how do things get to this point? Is H&H really that sloppy with its business dealings? Or, more likely, is the IRS desperate for cash in these hard times? Oh, there's going to be hell to pay if the Upper West Siders can't get their bagels on Sunday morning!

What I Like About H&H Bagels

H&H Bagels is one of the iconic bagel makers in the City. As such, they probably have had every opportunity to expand their business into a slick corporate empire. But they have not. Instead, they've stubbornly held on to their backward New York-centric ways.

Sure, they have two locations, and ship all over the world. But just pay a visit on the H&H anchor store on the Upper West Side. It's not sleek. There are no cute tables and chairs. You can't order espresso or smoothies and while the day away. It's a bagel store, period. And a homely one at that. There are tacky, electric chandeliers on the ceiling that make absolutely no sense in a bakery. A lot of droopy potted plants line the walls. And there are declasse vending machines for the kids. H&H has taken no design tips from Starbucks. Plus, their website is pretty darn rudimentary.