Sept. 2, 2015 By Jackie Strawbridge
An old-school coffee shop on the corner of 30th Avenue and Crescent Street is revamping after more than three decades in the neighborhood.
The Crescent Corner Coffee Shop, at 23-42 30th Ave. – next to Mount Sinai Queens – is closed for renovation with plans to transform into a more upscale diner, according to co-owner John Sakellis.
The restaurant will upgrade the standard coffee shop fare it has offered for years, Sakellis said. Daily fresh cream soups will replace canned soups, paninis and wraps will replace hot open sandwiches, and a number of dinner items will be added to the menu.
By Sakellis’ description, the revamp will allow him to negotiate shifting tastes and demographics in the neighborhood.
“What we’re doing is trying to upgrade the store according to today’s demand [and what] the new clientele are looking for,” he explained.
However, he added, “we’re not going to do drastic changes to scare the people away we want to keep, especially the older people that used to come in – I want to keep them in the neighborhood, I want them to feel comfortable.”
Sakellis said he will likely change the name of the eatery to eliminate the phrase “coffee shop.” Hours will also be extended for dinner until 10 p.m.
Sakellis aims to reopen by the beginning of October.
