Google Maps
The former City Cinemas movie theater on East 86th Street closed suddenly in 2019, and now a new tenant has signed on to take over the long-vacant space.
Advertisement
Happier Grocery, the high-end market that opened its first store on Canal Street in SoHo in 2023, has signed a 20,500-square-foot lease at 210 East 86th Street (between Second and Third avenues), according to a press release from Avison Young, which represented the landlord, CSC Real Estate. It’ll be Happier Grocery’s second store in New York City, and it’s expected to open during the second half of 2027.“This lease transforms a long-vacant former movie theatre space into a vibrant, wellness-focused destination that will add new energy to one of the Upper East Side’s most active retail corridors,” Avison Young’s Christian Stanton said in the release. “Happier Grocery brings a fresh concept to the neighborhood, combining a curated, high-end grocery experience with a social atmosphere that complements the area’s strong residential base and established food retailers.”
The release describes Happier Grocery as a premium neighborhood market that pairs high-quality groceries with a wellness-focused, community-driven experience. The store is known for its curated selection of fresh foods, prepared meals, and specialty products, and it’s meant to work as both a place for daily shopping and a neighborhood gathering spot.
Before it closed, City Cinemas showed both independent and mainstream films at the 86th Street theater and offered dedicated screenings for parents with babies.
The closing in May 2019 caught both neighbors and employees off guard. Signs reading “theater closed” and “the end” suddenly went up in the windows, and the marquee that had displayed showtimes was left blank.
Happier Grocery is expected to open in the space in the second half of 2027, more than eight years after the theater went dark. Learn more at happiergrocery.com.
