Signage is up for a new Le Pain Quotidien at 2161 Broadway on the corner of 76th Street, formerly home to Maison Kayser. Thanks to @sweet_domicile on Instagram for the tip + photo!
It was first reported in March 2020 that the bakery and cafe would be closing 12 of its NYC stores, though there was a bit of confusion as to why.
In April 2020, it was established that the closings were not COVID related, and that the company had been planning a consolidation well before the pandemic began. It was then discovered that LPQ had fired all 2,000 of its US restaurant employees in late March 2020.
According to the NY Post, workers had been told just one week prior that they’d be paid for sick and vacation days, retaining health insurance benefits through April. Employees also stated that the restaurant chain failed to protect them from the virus, not informing them about confirmed cases. And then cutting off their health benefits.
It turns out that LPQ was purchased by a company called Aurify, an operator of fast-casual food chains, which also acquired Maison Kayser.
In July 2020, LPQ reopened one of its Upper West Side locations, located at 60 West 65th Street.
We’ll provide an update once we know when the location on 76th and Broadway will be opening (and if we hear that other former LPQ locations are reopening).
NEW & COMING SOON TO THE UPPER WEST SIDE
Gonna miss Maison Kayser – not sure why they’re switching it out for LPQ when the same company owns both chains, but it’s definitely a downgrade as far as pastries & breads go.
After reading about the way they treated their former employees, I won’t be giving them any of my money for their overpriced offerings.
AURIFY management should seriously consider firing its President and/or CEO.
By now, they should have better optics and far superior public relations handling this recent announcement. C’mon, folks, learn something, anything about your business and hire smarter executives! There’s just no comparing what Maison Kayser had coming out of their baking ovens versus the McDonald’s approach to pseudo-French/Belgian baking/sandwiches/soups et al. offered by Le (real) Pain Quotidien. Stop with the sloven approach to what UWS patrons/consumer want. Do some real market research, spend some money, offer quality not crap, and stop being so miserly and ignorant about your market. Taste what you make and stop ripping off your public.
Totally agree. This is a huge loss to the UWS and to NYC. I just read that Maison Kayser filed for bankruptcy and closed all 16 of its NYC locations. How depressing. As my French friend said, Kayser was the closest bakery to actual bakeries in Paris. A fast-food chain is not a replacement.
I will miss that bread.
La Maicon kaiser was a really good bakery and restaurant and they will be missed.