Zen Medica Closes 72nd Street Shop After 13 Years

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“Business on 72nd has always been tough,” said Chow Mok, owner of Zen Medica, the herbal and holistic shop on its final day in its brick-and-mortar location at 137 West 72nd Street, between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues. After 13 years, the store was hit with an unfortunate rent increase to $23,000 a month. On Friday, June 6, the neighborhood lost a trusted business known for its deep expertise. But it’s not all over.

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“Pre-COVID, it was already tough enough because we were competing with, you know, Amazon and all that,” said Mok. “Post-COVID, we’re talking about budget issues, shopping habit changes, product availability changes.”

We also asked Mok about the tariff situation, which has been reported to wreak havoc on many small businesses.

“There’s a popular ginger chew brand that I get,” said the NYU graduate. Prince of Peace ginger chews come from Indonesia, and with Trump’s tariffs constantly changing, her distributor told her they’re not importing them right now. “So for now, my distributor is not going to bring it in, which means I’m dealing with whatever I’ve got left.”

Mok also mentioned Chinese herbs, which were first covered by The City before being picked up by The New York Times, reporting that many of these herbs can’t be grown elsewhere due to environmental conditions. She showed ILTUWS one of her product pages on a tablet. The checkout section notes, “Tariffs are now in effect, and pricing on products imported by this distributor may be subject to applicable tariff surcharges.”

Having studied clinical nutrition since 1998, Mok has worked in hospitals focusing on joint diseases and spent time at a nutritional pharmacy before starting her own brand. “I chose the Upper West Side because I like it,” she noted. “You know, they got enough on the East Side.”

Mok also credited The Vitamin Peddler, whose search for a new location captured the Upper West Side’s attention in 2022. “Even though I never met him, I totally respect him,” she said, giving him props for being a fellow NYU graduate. If Mok didn’t carry something, she would refer customers to The Vitamin Peddler — something he does for her as well.

Keep an eye on the Zen Medica website, which is still live but currently says “under construction.” Mok plans to continue selling products online and will also offer one-hour consultation appointments over Zoom — a service that was previously done in-store. “We’re still figuring that out,” she said, but she hopes it will be ready to go by the end of the month.

ALSO READ: Taqueria y Fonda Closing Doors After 26 Years

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During our moment of zen with Mok, the store saw a steady flow of patrons picking up discounted items and paying their respects before the store’s closing. One guest hailed Mok not only as a trusted resource, but also as a good friend. The selection at Zen Medica has always been impressive — there’s more than meets the eye from the outside. The snack section is strong too, along with items like hot honey and the Finding Home maple syrup from the Hudson Valley, which we purchased alongside a large exfoliating body scrubber made with organic cotton and a “tree-free” greeting card printed on 100% recycled paper.

When asked what she’ll miss about the neighborhood, Mok responded, “That it’s a neighborhood. That it’s a community. And it kind of bugs me — not just because I’m leaving — but the fact that every time a small store goes out [of business], for whatever reason, it’s taking that neighborhood out of that community, and it bugs me. Because when it’s like one of those, like, if it’s another chain coming in, they’ve got turnover of people, they’ve got turnover of products. I’m not saying the young kids who work there don’t care, but they won’t get as involved.”

Mok noted things we’ve heard from other longtime local business owners: “I’ve been here long enough where if I see the dog, I know the owner. I know I can offer a treat to a certain dog but not another one, because this little furball has allergies. Yeah, I know the wife’s name, the kid’s name, you know — the hubby’s name, the mother-in-law, the mother-outlaw’s name — you know, I know. And that’s the same for everybody on the block.”

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