Bliss Bistro, one of Sunnyside’s premier restaurants, closed its doors today due to financial difficulties.
Alim Maruf, the owner of the Zagat- and Michelin-rated restaurant, fell behind in paying his $5,500 per month rent as the economy soured. Maruf did not comment on the closing.
At 1:00pm today, Maruf and his business partner were collecting their wine and other items before the landlord changed the locks.
Maruf opened the Skillman Ave. (46th Street) restaurant in March 2007 transforming the restaurant into a French bistro. Prior to his arrival, the restaurant known as “Bliss” offered New American cuisine.
Upon taking over the restaurant, Maruf enhanced the garden in the back of the restaurant for outdoor dining but maintained the simple décor of the dining room.
The closing is a blow to the Skillman Ave. district, which in recent years has undergone an upscale makeover.
57 Comments
I am glad this place closed. I was there for my birthday with friends. I live in the area.. We were never treated so rudely in my life by the servers. I was a waiter and I can deal with alot.. My friends and I go out to dinner about 2 times a month togehter for years…. WE STILL TALK ABOUT HOW UNATTENTIVE THEY WERE AND THEN VERY RUDE. I NEVER WENT BACK EVER AGAIN AND I LIVE A FEW BLOCKS AWAY.. REAL SHAME.
The Kettle on 51st Street seems to do well and they vary their menu although it is basically the same. They also have entertainment on Saturday nights. Why are they doing well while the Bliss Bistro could not? I think that Bliss was just not an inviting place especially for single people. I suspect it was overpriced for this neighborhood which really has people of mixed income and yes, many people on food stamps. Also, many people in the Kettle stay by the bar, order drinks and also eat there.
Angus Grieve-Smith why not do a survery with all the restaurnats or with the hearld or the sunnysidepost to see if the varioius business will benefit from certain questions being asked and answered to judge better what the issues are and are not.What do you think of that idea?
I’m not convinced that the main problem facing Bliss Bistro was lack of parking, as suggested by Mike Novak. There are plenty of customers within easy walking distance.
That said, I think we could manage our metered parking better on Skillman. Right now the meters shut off at 7PM, and anyone parked there is allowed to keep their car in the same spot until the morning. Those regulations were put in place years ago, and in the meantime we have seen several restaurants open. I would support extending the meter hours until at least 9PM.
yeah, sunnyside BID, sunnyside shines, man, it’s all for the photo op in the woodside herald. meanwhile let the place we live in go to hell. be nice if we had a business improvement group that actually DID something rather than make sure that “—— Month” banners hang on light poles.
BTW, the sunnyside shines guy who supposedly pick up trash on Greenpoint Ave – I watch from 5ft away as he pulled a garage sale paper from the pole and tossed it on the ground. I said “Shouldn’t you put that in your can??!!!” – he said “I am running out of room in my can”
It seems that the Thai place on 43rd Avenue and 49th has gone out. Too many good Thai places now – this is supply and demand.
As I’ve written before there are many places to eat from 48th to 46th between QB and Skillman. I don’t have that kind of money nor do I want to eat out that much.
When Bliss first opened I thought the environment was very snotty. I never returned. I feel bad for the new owner who could not make a go of it. I recall that in its previous life, the Bliss charged $12 for the “Sunnyside Cosmopolitan” or some such nonsense.
Note about Molly Bloom’s: they MUST add at least a bar food menu or they will have a problem. When you drink, you have to eat!
There are still several empty stores on Skillman. I maintain that the “unscaledness” of Skillman is what is doing in some of the finer establishments. People can spend only so much money to support an establishment and that is it. As for the comments of “Queens in the new Brooklyn” I see many empty stores on Madison Avenue. Many.
The many kind comments about Bliss made me both happy and sad–happy because so many people enjoyed Bliss and sad because I was forced to make the difficult decision to close it. It was either get a new tenant who could meet the lease obligations or lose the building.
To clarify, the rent obligations went unfulfilled or partly fulfilled throughout the course of the lease until it was terminated. In addition, water is customarily the commercial tenant’s obligation. But as the owner of the property, I was obligated to pay substantial, five-figure unpaid water bills.
Regarding Sophia and David’s comments that rents are too high, I agree to some extent. Certainly, rents on Queens Boulevard are too high to support many small businesses. However, my fixed costs are over $5,000 a month. What, then, is an appropriate rent?
It was my sincere hope that Bliss Bistro would be a success. I am delighted to report that, after renovation, the restaurant will re-open under the guidance of new restaurant operators better equipped to succeed. I sincerely hope the residents of Sunnyside will support it.
Basmati Table is soon to re-open as Saffron Garden and I learned last night that a chef from Baluchi’s will take over the kitchen.
A number of businesses on Skillman Avenue, as well as the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce, are working to improve Skillman Avenue for residents and businesses alike. Having lived on Bliss Street since 1968 and having my real estate office on Skillman Avenue since 1989, I have seen many changes–most of them positive. I am very optimistic for the future of our community.
Patrick, I think you are right – there is a large disparity of income in the Sunnyside/Woodside area and there are many people on food stamps.
What’s so ironic is that people love to bash Manhattan yet Manhattan has more local and independent businesses thriving in it than any other borough.
The longer I live in Sunnyside area, the more I actually think it isn’t that middle class here — there seem to be many poor people, and parents with large families that probably cannot afford anything but clothing and feeding their children. I know I don’t have enough money, can’t afford to go out as much as I used to (and as far as I can tell this is a longterm fiscal problem for me). What I think is going on here and is common throughout all of Queens (in neighborhoods like Woodhaven, Astoria, Jackson Heights, Jamaica more so than Forest Hills) is that all economic spheres are represented, from poor to rich. So, while some brilliant business owners think it’s a good idea to open multiple Thai and Irish restaurants/pubs, the reality is despite a population of some 30-50K in a small area, not that many people can or want to spend that much on dinner. Best bet, stop opening more than one or two similar businesses in the neighborhood and try and be unique. Not gonna happen though.
This is a great loss for us all. But let’s hope and pray that it doesn’t become another Irish Pub, or a beer garden, or another Thai restaurant. Newsflash to Molly Blooms: there are 3 Irish pubs within a block of you already. And 7 within 3 blocks. Why do people think: “Oh, there’s an Irish pub here that’s doing well. Let’s open an Irish pub.” It doesn’t work like that. What you are doing is making damn sure that you will all be closed down the line. Supply and demand. Why not open a cocktail bar. We don’t have one of those. I know people who’d go to a cocktail bar several times a week. But a Guinness is a Guinness is a Guinness. And with all the young people moving here it would be a good idea to have fresh blood and a new idea.
Let’s hope that a savvy restaurateur will take over. But what we really need is a sophisticated restaurant. There are enough people living in this area that even if they went once every 2 months for a night out/special occasion a restaurant could thrive.
While this is a middle-class neighborhood there are enough people here with money. All the young people moving to the hood want – and need – a good place to hang out. Quaint is great but not the sort of place where you can go for an evening. The service there is too rushed. We need a really good Italian, or a cocktail bar (Claret does not serve cocktails.) Add some great decor and a couple of booths and there could be a winner there.
I do hope that Sunnyside’s landlords will read this post.
Dear landlords:
Please realize that your greed is ruining this beautiful neighborhood. By allowing these wonderful businesses to close or relocate (including Bliss Bistro, April Glass, Rose Restaurant, etc, etc) you are actually devaluing YOUR property AND the neighborhood.
Nobody wants to live in a neighborhood where all the stores are adorned with metal shutters. So property prices go down – and so does your rent.
There is no reason why Sunnyside shouldn’t be one of the top neigborhoods in NYC. Can’t you come to an agreement for crying out loud? Why not take 50 or 75 percent rent for a while. There are at least three stores on QB between 44th and 45th that have been closed for two years. Rent is $6,000 a month or $72K a year. These have not been rented for years. Are you telling me you’d rather collect NO rent and allow great and loved businesses to go under just to prove a point and get market rate? You are also losing out financially.
Please landlords, be more amenable to the notion that if we all make this neighborhood great we will all be winners. Look what has happened to certain parts of Brooklyn that have developed. Landlords lowered rents allowing new restaurants and great creative businesses to develop and now those areas are worth their weight in gold.
Sunnyside could and should be the same. Stop the greed!!!!
After reading the many comments above, it seems clear that there are many sides to this story. certainly the rents are going sky high as is evidenced on QB and the empty store fronts. Prices in general are on the increase and maintaining a restaurant is very difficult in these difficult times. Families would love to go out to local eateries, but cannot, and true enough parking is a a great problem. How to fight back and come to some compromise is a great challenge and perhaps groups such as the Chamber of Commerce might want to undertake this challenge.
This is a wonderful neighborhood filled with a diversity of cultures that becomes envious to other neighborhoods. We must try to respond to this problem and address all the players (landlords, restaurant owners, families, our local politicians, community leaders, and those I forgot to mention). No doubt an awesome task!!
PS I like the new pub on QB( Molly Bloom) as it reflects a real Dublin ambiance with Joyce as its inspiration. Just add the food menu and it may be a great success!!
The closing of Bliss Bistro is a loss for all of us. Do you see why you should pay a little more and buy, at least your staples at the “Sunnyside Market” on 46th Street and Skillman Avenue? What do you think his monthly rent is? Do you think he pays the same as Pathmark or Stop and Shop for his goods?
Before we mourn the loss of this 24-hour convenience store lets start shopping there.
I truly hate being broke. I’m relatively new to this area (and fell in love) and had been wanting to go to this beautiful restaurant but never got a chance. Last summer, I would pass by and inhale the delectably intoxicated fragrance of garlic and bread. Sigh.
This really sucks.
Sometimes I wonder if we even live in middle class neighborhood. There are so many poor children attending PS150 that the whole school is Title1 School. There are just not enough well off residents to support French restaurant.
John3_16, you are a gem!
sartke, governments can’t spend their way to prosperity any more than households can. This Keynesian (named for John Maynard Keynes, a Fabian Socialist tool) economic theory has been discredited,; and, as John3_16 points out, it is socialist, Marxist nonsense. On the other hand, the late Nobel prize winning economist, Milton Freidman, teaches us that “investment” is a private function–not a public one.
Businesses don’t exist to serve Government; Government (a necessary evil) exists to serve the basic needs (as opposed to wants) of people…and their businesses.
“When the people fear the Government, there is Tyranny. When the Government fears the people, there is Liberty.” -Thomas Jefferson
“A Government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take away everything you have.” -Gerald Ford
One reason Bliss Bistro and many other business have gone out of business in Sunnyside is not outrageous rents.
Its lack of parking.
There simply is no place to park if you come from outside the area.
People talk all the time about “bringing in new businesses”, but there never is any talk about the parking problem. In a bad economy, local people can only support a business only so many times a month.
Please do not portray Dorothy Moorehead in a bad light as the landlord.
The bank who holds her mortgage is not interested when she tells them that her tenant has not paid his rent for almost a year.
Dorothy Moorehead not only was the previous owner of Bliss but I believe that she still owns the building AKA Landlord.
Bliss was popular because it was a quality sit down place to eat. We know from our own grocery shopping sticker shock that we had to compromise at home to meet our budget. When a restaurant is faced with the same issue a lesser quality, even for a short time, can drive away customers.
I hope that a new establishment will open soon an dbe able to make a go of it.
Very sad story. I am sorry for the owner and the people that lost their jobs. Good luck to the owner and the staff at Bliss; I wish you all the best.
I really liked their garden and found that we would go most often when the garden was open but rarely in the winter months when it was closed. Unfortunately, there was little in the way of variety, in terms of the menu and the interior really could have used an update or a splash of excitement for my taste. I know many liked it and were happy with things as they were so I’m not trying to offend. I’m just sharing our opinion and why we didn’t go more frequently. Usually we choose places with rotating menus and with at least 2-3 vegetarian-friendly options for friends that don’t eat meat or for those folks that want variety. Unfortunately, even the “specials” were repeated and didn’t seem to offer much excitement or variety.
I recently went to another restaurant in the neighborhood that had a delicious special offered this week that apparently was very popular. When I asked if it would be added to the regular menu, she replied “then it wouldn’t be special.” She gets it, and she gets us coming back to try truly new and special dishes if we get bored with the regular menu.
In terms of the rent being too high, I’d be curious to hear the professional input of a neighborhood real estate professional or from other businesses in the neighborhood. It seems there are viable businesses including restaurants in the same price range that are surviving in the neighborhood. Don’t forget that the corner they are on is a major traffic area as it leads to the 46 Street Station. Perhaps the rent is not the main issue. It could be a sign of a slightly changing demographic that’s adding more young professionals to the neighborhood. These folks tend to spend more on dining out but want variety and creativity in the decor and the food.
I hope that the local restaurants in the area and any new ones will consider options like seasonal menus, the slow food movement (http://www.slowfoodnyc.org/programs/soa ) local food (requires changing menu).
Too many restaurants on Skillman and a lot of empty stores.
Rents are to high in Sunnyside. Both Bliss Bistro and Floresta prices were not to high because of the QUALITY OF FOOD and SERVICE, We were lucky to have them both, and I will miss them!
Bring down the rents before Sunnyside becomes a Ghost Town!
@sartke
It’s that sort of marxist economic illiteracy that has the country in this mess.
John3_16, the government spends money to stimulate the economy and the end result is a larger GDP and more tax revenue in the long-term. From a macro perspective, this is comparable to a smart business investment. It’s important that you understand how the government’s finances are a tiny bit different than your household’s.
In a tough economy ordinary people have to tighten their belts and do without things like eating out in nice restaurants. Unfortunately, the government lives in an economic fantasy world where they can spend, spend, spend us into oblivion and hand Joe Taxpayer (and his children and grandchildren) the bill.
Until that changes, expect things to get worse.
I loved Bliss. I loved the food (mushroom ravioli, steak, coq au vin) and the staff were so nice, so accomodating and really welcoming. I wish I knew that they were closing, I would have said good-bye and had one last meal. Bliss will really be missed.
I think it may be a combination of the rent being to high and having to many restaruants in our area. Plus we do live in a middle class area and we cannot affort high dinner meal and eating out alot. It would be nice if we had more of a variety of busness in our town. We could use a bookstore and discont shoe store like a payless we can use a music store. Maybe our rents are too high for them to come here. that shoe store on the blvd I thought was expensive is still here with us. So some business get lucky than other stores. are they managed better. Maybe we do need a sturdy of our town to see what is going wrong here. We are all such caring people in our little town.
it seems like the only ones that can pay these high rents are either part of a larger chain or people who run these storefront businesses as a sham and whose true reason for existence is to launder money.
so glad I got the chance to go there at least once, during a visit to the area last month. It was very enjoyable and at the time there was no indication the place was in trouble.
I hope your neighborhood survives with its dignity intact.
I’ve been in Sunnyside for 5 yrs and on the Northside for 3. Bliss is the closest ‘sit-down’ restaurant to my apartment and despite the opportunities I gave it, never endeared itself to me. Other places in the hood just did everything they a little better.
I hope an inspired local can put something innovative in this excellently placed location. But of course, more than anything, this all depends on the landlord lowering their asking rental price tag.
As a relative new resident (4 years now on 47th Ave.), I’ve come to enjoy the diversity of Sunnyside; including the diversity of food inparticular.
My impression of Sunnyside is that cheap and fast food (not to mention delivery) seem to be winning the day over newer and finer establishments. Cheap eats are abundent and only a stone’s throw away from neighboring upscale fare. Neighborhood staples like Pio Pio Riko and New York Eats do brisk business in their vintage digs. In short, setting aside the argument on quality, the good enough places appear to be keeping the neighborhood’s attention.
All the same, Sunnyside also has a number of longtime finer eating establishments; Dazies and Mario’s (both Italian) come to mind. While uncertain as to the ownership details of their properties, I surmise that they either own their spaces or are the holders of longterm leases entered into long before the neighbordhood entered into its recent upswing. In any event, a friend who attended Cornell’s School of Hospitality Management told me that owning your space is critical to achieving long term success in the restaurant business.
In the short run, newer establishment’s like Quaint and Claret (both on the North Side and on Skillman) are successful (read still in business) because they are designed to appeal to the younger/newer resident’s of the neighborhood. Both Quaint and Claret have a first date or date night quality to their locations. To compete during the winter and colder months, Bliss Bistro should have updated its dining room and renovated its storefront (a la Salt & Fat).
While not surprised, I’m sure another local restauranteur may already be negotiating/drafting up plans for the space (who knows maybe even the owners of Claret or Quaint) since they already have a grip on the locale. Bliss St. Beer Garden anyone.
That said, I agree with Wayward Chef, a number of issues/items come into play for a restaurant to succeed. Mostly, I firmly believe its just the right location at the right time at the right price (Salt & Fat, landlord was asking $2600 when I inquired).
Regarding Floresta, the food quality was outstanding and the decor was contemporary. However, the empty neighboring storefronts and supermarket across the street reduced the quality of the foot traffic. A stronger may be even continuing marketing campaign would be needed to overcome the location issues. Happy hour (even with only a beer and wine license) and Sangria on the menu would have helped. Maybe even Paella on the menu, everyone loves Paella.
Best of Luck to all.
I recall that Dorothy Morehead originally opened up this restaurant and it did not do well.
I blame it on the rents. I go out to eat frequently but will spend only so much. It is my form of entertainment. Quaint is ok but the menu is limited. I like the Kettle and Donato’s. They are not exciting but the prices are not outrageous. I am sorry for the owner of the Bistro. I hope the Indian place will succeed. I was also sorry when the Rose closed on Queens Boulevard. People in this neighborhood are basically middle class. They can spend only so much to eat out. Restaurants need to have their places PACKED to succeed. I don’t know how the new bar on QB, Molly Bloooms, will succeed when they serve no food, only drinks. They will have people staggering out and retching if they don’t eat.
What is the success of skillman ave pizza? What is their secret of business? their service is not the best. How have they managed to last all theee years.
I went to Bliss a couple of times and the food didn’t excite me. The main issues for me were atmosphere and price.To go to a place in the neighborhood regularly the prices have to be cheaper. I can’t just order the one thing I can afford on the menu and feel comfortable.
I empathize with the chef who tried to succeed. The rents and electric alone are astoundingly high especially for that location. That’s a lot of meals to serve just to cover the basics.
The real problem is that Sunnyside is a working class neighborhood with pretensions of being upscale. Businesses that target upscale customers only are going to fail because they are missing most of the neighborhood. Businesses that work keep it simple and appeal to everyone.
Like most of you, I am sorry to see Bliss Bistro go. Obviously, there are systemic problems that are causing us to lose so many of our favorite neighborhood places in recent months. What is really need is research into the economic conditions and analysis of Sunnyside in comparison with other similar neighborhoods–are there places with similar neighborhood structure that are doing better in terms of preserving their amenities? Is there anything we can profitably learn from Astoria, for example? Are there local businesses that are thriving–what are their”secrets”?
Maybe the Chamber of Commerce could initiate some sort of study in connection with LaGuardia Community College or some other institution??
The community needs to do more than just lament these closings.
Wayward Chef offers some useful data for a start!
Another independent, iconic establishment gone. I do believe there is a deliberate effort to eliminate small businesses in this country with only the huge franchises and chains able to operate.
Rents are too high. People are jobless. I was sitting at Claret the other day and saw the owner smoking outside smoking and looking wistfully at the thriving business across the street. Claret is doing something right. It’s unique. Bliss, Quaint are nothing special as far as restaurants go. I like Quaint and Bliss but I go to Claret more often.
As an owner of restaurant in Sunnsyide that i had to close not too long ago, i can say that the residents of Sunnyside are very supportive, and while my restaurant also garnered positive reviews it also failed and some people also felt the prices were too high. The catch is, that so are the costs and since the market crashed in 2008 prices for food that had already been on a big upswing started to go through the roof. tomatoes throughout the year can go as high as $60 a case and as low as $15… that means that as restaurant owners we have find a price that covers both costs because it’s too expensive and logistically impractical to make new menus every time a price fluctuates as drastically… but here’s the skinny on same base prices restaurants can expect in Queens – lets use Bliss as an example… all my estimations are just that, but chances are, I’m not that off:
Rent = 5,500 with a usual 3-4% increase ever year as the lease progresses
Monthly Gas/Electric $2,000
MonthlyInsurance – $400
Monthly Water $150
Monthly Real Estate Tax $50 (and is variable – set against the annual increase that the city arbitrates)
weekly food cost – $2000 – $3000
Monthly Wine/Liquor $15000
Staff – salary/wages – $2500/ week
And those are simply the costs involved in keeping the doors open
There are also costs for advertising, maintenance, emergencies, and all that stuff you never know will but always do happen
I love sunnyside, and i hope that we all recover from this… unfortunately the cards are stacked against us all, and while some business will prosper, many will fail, it’s never any ONE thing that determines their fate. in the meantime, keep eating local, keep supporting when you can and hopefully we can all have dinner again soon… good by Bliss…
Alejandro Cantagallo
Ex-Owner Floresta
Prices were always a little too high for dinner in a “local” restaurant.
Not sure what this means, Paul M.
There’s a confusing dynamic in Sunnyside right now, with reputable real estate people touting a Sunnyside house on sale for over a million dollars (implication: this ‘hood is hot!) while, on the other hand, the pawn shop at 46th is one of the few new businesses to open here this year (implication: this ‘hood is on the downslide!).
If we residents will pay to eat in a Bliss Bistro-type (Michelin star!) place in Manhattan or Brooklyn, but, not if it’s “local” — then aren’t we contributing to keeping the neighborhood down?
It’s a bigger problem, though. The restaurants and shops need some “life” on the avenue to bring people into the neighborhood — music, dance, art shows, theater, a festive weekly flea market. These activities provide customers for all the other businesses. It’s basic town planning.
I can’t say I was a huge fan of Bliss, but $5,500 is insane for a neighborhood like this. We need much more commercial real estate in this neighborhood so that the current landlords can’t continue to charge extortion rates.
That place was great. This is terrible news. It definitely wasn’t because the food was too expensive – they had a weekday special earlier this year where you could get a three course prix fixe dinner for something like $16.
Sad. Great food, great wait staff and prices were very afforadable, compared to Sapori D’Ischia that we went to recently. Unfortunately, Sunnyside is not the same neighborhood that I grew up in as a child, but I still love living here…one of the few Sunnyside Natives…
Rents for businesses on Skillman Ave. and 43rd Ave. are much too high because landlords think being near Queens Blvd. means lots of customers. Little do they realize stores on those avenues attract mostly customers from the neighborhood and not much traffic from the Blvd.
Bliss (Bistro) may have had good food, however many people in the neighborhood, like my family, never went to it. Prices were always a little too high for dinner in a local restaurant. In addition having a similar name as the restaurant on Greenpoint Ave. (Bliss St. Station) must have caused a lot of confusion with potential customers coming off the #7 train at night. A few times people have approached me and said “We’re looking for the Bliss restaurant.” My reply was always “Which one, Station or Bistro?” Usually they didn’t know.
I’m saddened whenever any local business closes.
Had my daughters 1st Birthday Party in the garden 2 years great memories ….very very sad about the closing….. Will miss the wild mushroom ravioli…….
Krissa and Sofia maybe we need to market sunnyside better so everyone who lives here will know where all resauants are. Maybe we need a map of the area in all stores for all business so we know where everything is. Do you think that will help at all. Maybe we need to invite ny1 for a walkl thought of our restaruants and do some pr work to help our town out. What do you think?
It’s also possible, I guess that Bliss’ owner didn’t adjust his menu to offer a few lower-priced options or specials to get people in there. We didn’t eat there because the vegetarian options were slim to none, but, the owner seemed very nice and the place was pretty. When all’s said and done, though, if the neighborhood doesn’t support the businesses it “loooooves” — then, the businesses will fold and the neighborhood will go down:(
$5500 a month? With the rent too damned high and neighbors still losing their jobs… I’d say the landlords have a tin ear when it comes to this economy… and they’re killing our neighborhood.
Sunnysider,
I go regularly for weekday dinners, and there are people there every day. Not fully packed, but I don’t sit alone. Weekends it is bopping! Particularly in the garden. Perhaps he over extend himself w the new restaurant? Or maybe rent is just too high.
What is going to happen to the safron garden that is remodeling acrross the street that they own as well. Are we in the process of losing that as well.
I always see people inside. It looks very nice. Maybe we have too many restaurants in our town. Or are they too expensive for a regular weekly visit. I donot have an answer. I feel terrible that it is closed
This is the worst news I’ve heard all year. Bliss is my favorite restaurant in Suunnyside. The garden is lovely, the meals are fab, and the service great. The owner is a gem! I wish I had learned this earlier, I would have gone every day to support them! This news so upsets me.
What a tragedy. Skillman Ave. will not be the same.
I hope another restaurant with good food moves in. It would suck if the place remains empty for ever.
Nooooooooooooooooooo!!! I really liked that place 🙁