Monday, June 27th, 2011

UPDATE 5:35 pm — Looks like this is now being held at 79th & Riverside

File this under both “ill-conceived” and “ill-fated.”

Last week a flier was going around with no details asking people to join together to save H & H. The latest iteration, posted above, invites people to a “meeting” tonight in Riverside Park.

As I’ve previously mentioned, there’s nothing “mom-and-pop” about H & H. It’s a big business that was apparently run poorly by an owner who plead guilty to tax fraud. This isn’t the little guy getting forced out by a mean landlord.

I have no idea what this James Besser guy hopes to accomplish tonight. Between IRS debts, back-rent, and a state-owned mortgage on the 46th street location, H & H needs an influx of about $4 million cash. If 10 people show up tonight and they each write a check for $400,000, this rally might actually make a difference.

UPDATE: Posted this before seeing an e-mail from @ReporterLeslie that she got from Mr. Besser and forwarded to MUW:

Hello everyone,
The owner of H&H Bagels and I have agreed to use tonight’s meeting to form a committee to preserve the Upper West Side.  The goals are to support mom-and-pop stores and promote small town values.
Please join me at 7 P.M. inside Riverside Park — entrance on West 83rd Street.  Free bagels!
Pl;ease [sic] spread this information on the Internet.
Thanks,
James

So now they’re not just going to save H & H, but the entire Upper West Side. And they’re promoting small-town values in the most populated city in America, too! (wonder what trying to cheat the IRS and small-town values have in common). At least there will be free bagels…

2ND UPDATE: DNAinfo’s coverage of tonight’s planned event.

Filed under: Events, Food & Drink, Manhattan, New York City, News, NYC, Riverside Park, Upper West Side, Upper West Side Blog, Upper West Side Oddities, UWS 2 Comments »
Tags: bagel, H & H Bagels, H and H Bagels, H&H Bagels, Helmer Toro, James Besser, New York City, NYC, Upper West Side, UWS