Syosset's Changing Landscape

Businesses and restaurants have been coming and going in Syosset recently, with some closing and new ones opening. Syosset Patch decided to check out some of the new arrivals and changes to the Syosset landscape. 

Along Cold Spring Road, there are several vacant stores, including Syosset Imaging, a Cellphone Store and Syosset Travel -- where big signs promise “Something’s Coming…” and “Something’s Coming…Get Addicted.”

The Japanese restaurant Tsubo is also closed. At one point, a sign in the window said they’re closed for renovations. Cardinali Uno Pizza closed, but it was replaced by Italian Grill and Pizzeria.

In addition, in the downtown area north of the tracks, the old Bank of America Building remains vacant, since the bank moved to its

On Berry Hill Road, 516 American Kitchen and Bar officially opened last week where Moules et Frites used to be. Michael Russo, the managing partner at 516 American Kitchen and Bar describes the menu as “a little bit of everything.”

"You have everyday classics and a couple of things that are a little on the different side," Russo said.

According to Russo, at 516, the selections include classic 10 ounce burgers,  “a nice, big burger”, a blackened tilapia sandwich and he says baja fish tacos are very popular, “probably one of my best selling appetizers.”

Plus, he said, Syosset has been a welcoming community: “I love this area, love this town, people are great - I’ve met a lot of nice people already.”

South of the railroad tracks on Jackson Avenue, there are still some empty storefronts in the new building on the west side of the road. There’s a Grand Opening sign on “The Black Wolf” American Sports Bar and Grill where used to be, (before that, Mitch O’Neill’s).

On Jericho Turnpike, the Golden Temple Chinese and Japanese Restaurant proclaims a Grand Opening where Kikku had been, next to Unfortunately, Borders’ days seem to be limited.

“We have had to make the hard decision to close many stores nationwide over these last few months as part of our reorganization under Chapter 11," said Matt Davis, from Borders Public Relations, in an e-mail to Syosset Patch last week.

"We understand the impact a store closure has on employees, customers and whole communities," he said. "The fact remains, however, we did not receive a reduction in rent that was necessary to make the store profitable and therefore we must close this location.”

There is no closing date yet for the store.

On the other side of Golden Temple, Dom & Luigi’s Smokehouse is closed. Syosset Patch reported last month, a message on their voicemail said they were However, recently, there didn’t seem to be any message picking up at the restaurant’s phone number.

Across the street, is about to move into another orbit on Robbins Lane.

Russell Gobetz, the General Manager of Bicycle Planet told Syosset Patch they’ll probably move at the end of this month or early August. 

While they’ve been in the current place since 1995, he said that "over the years we’ve grown and kind of outgrown the building here.”

By contrast, he says the new place has several advantages, “a better layout for helping customers, it will be more user friendly for them…[It’s] closer to more places where people ride, it’s right near a large fitness center, closer to the lie for people from further away to get to us.”

Some other Syosset buildings on Jericho Turnpike remain vacant, including the former Blockbuster store and the former Ford dealership.