Jolson’s Liquor at 22-24 31st St. (NYC ZoLa)
Oct. 30, 2018 By Laura Hanrahan
After 85 years, Jolson’s Fine Wine and Spirits will be closing up shop—but only temporarily.
The store is moving from its site on 22-24 31st Street to a new and what appears to be a smaller location three blocks west at 26-20 23rd Avenue.
The store manager, Albert, who has worked at Jolson’s for 11 years, said the move was spurred by increasing rent prices in Astoria.
“You’re paying Madison Avenue prices on 31st Street,” he told Astoria Post.
The store’s last day at its current site will be tomorrow, and all remaining inventory will be heavily discounted.
Jolson’s new location, which was previously home to Jumping Bulldog, a dog day care, is expected to open in January 2019.
The store owners are currently waiting for a new license for the 23rd Avenue store. Once that has been granted, they will be able to open its doors.
Jolson’s is one of the oldest businesses in Astoria, and started in 1935 in its original Ditmars Boulevard location. It then moved to the former CVS location now under development on 31st Street, according to the Astoria Characters blog, before settling—for a bit—in its current location.
