Popular Wine Shop Announces Closure Ahead of Upcoming Demolition

Le Grand Triage Wine & Whiskey announced on Thursday that it will soon be closing its doors at 1657 First Avenue (between 86th and 87th streets) due to a forthcoming demolition, but that it’s already in the process of locating a new space.

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“Like others in the neighborhood, our building will be demolished and we are planning to move to another space. We have been actively looking for a new location and hope to reopen as soon as possible. Unfortunately, there are many bureaucratic hoops to jump through with a liquor license, so there will be a guaranteed interruption of service after we reluctantly close our doors on Sunday, February 26th,” the shop wrote on its Instagram page.

Le Grand Triage opened back in 2015, quickly becoming a Yorkville mainstay thanks to its vast offerings (including rare whiskeys), in-store events and wine club, which delivered two bottles of exclusive vino per month starting at $50. If you’re a member (or want to get in on the action), February will be the last month of its current iteration; all active memberships will automatically pause ahead of March until the new location is situated.

The owners are hoping to stay on the Upper East Side, and numerous customers echo these sentiments. There will be a “Spirits Discount Week” between Monday, February 6 and Sunday, February 12 when shoppers can save on restocking their bar carts (online markdowns will also be available), as well as a liquidation sale from Thursday, February 23 to Sunday, February 26. “Discounts of the century” are promised! They will also be holding a customer celebration on February 18, and will be releasing details soon.

In 2020, the building – and the entire northwest corner of 86th and First Avenue – was sold for $14.5 million.

In November 2022, Patch reported that the site would be demolished. While public records don’t indicate much about who the owners are, one tenant told the publication that it’s Extell, and the person we spoke with at Le Grand Triage said the same.

Extell is also building a 22-story mixed-use development set to span the majority of First Avenue between East 85th and 86th streets. It’s unclear what their new endeavor will look like, but a high-rise tower is likely a safe bet given their track record.

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Other businesses on the immediate strip — including Taco Today, Peng’s Noodle Folk and Beauty Nails — will be impacted by the structural change, though none were able to provide comment when we reached out to them earlier today. In fact, a bewildered employee at Taco Today noted they had just heard about the upcoming demolition from a customer.

Extell has quickly gained a reputation for wreaking havoc on beloved businesses in the pursuit of snatching up property — including legendary hot dog dealers Papaya King, a UES staple since 1932.  If you’re unfamiliar with Extell’s past work, they’re the firm behind Billionaire’s Row — the uber-luxury skyscrapers just south of Central Park which many New Yorkers dub an “eyesore” on the skyline.