Zabar’s Marking 90 Years of Business
“Commuter Special” Bagel Deals Available for Select Time
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The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced a partnership with New York institution Zabar’s in honor of the New York City subway’s 120th anniversary and Zabar's 90th anniversary, the legendary gourmet market located on West 80 St. on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Zabar’s will offer promotional “commuter special” bagel deals beginning Thursday, Oct. 24, through Sunday, Oct. 27, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. On Tuesday, Oct. 22, New York City Transit (NYCT) workers will distribute hundreds of Zabar’s famed Black and White cookies to lucky subway riders at four subway stations in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens.
To celebrate 120 years of the subway, a bagel with schmear will cost $1.20. A bagel with schmear and a coffee will cost $2.90, and to commemorate 90 years of Zabar’s, a bagel with cream cheese and lox will cost $9.90. Bagels will be wrapped in bagel and subway-themed paper with drawings of stations, cars, signage, and more.
“What better way to celebrate the legacy of 120 years of the subway than partnering with another generational mainstay of New York City – Zabar’s,” said MTA Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara. “These commuter specials are a way for both the MTA and Zabar’s to show customers we value their continued patronage and look forward to celebrating more milestones to come.”
“A lot may have changed over 120 years like new train cars and stations, but New Yorkers’ reliance on the system has remained the same,” said NYC Transit Interim President Demetrius Crichlow. “While riders enjoy their bagel and schmear, we’ll continue to work to improve the rider experience with more reliable and efficient service.”
“Zabar’s has been a proud part of New York’s fabric for 90 years, and there’s no better way to celebrate than by partnering with another iconic institution, the MTA, on their 120th anniversary,” said Zabar’s Senior Executive Ann Zabar. “Both Zabar’s and the MTA have helped shape the culture of this city, and together, we’re honoring the past while looking forward to the future of New York.”
“The number train here at 79 St was the most important part of my life, it’s a fabulous place to get on the train and its close to Zabar’s,” said Stanley Zabar. “My father always said if you open on a store within two blocks of a subway you become a rich store owner.”
“120 years ago, New York’s first subway helped create the Upper West Side, Zabar’s home for the past 90 years,” said New York Transit Museum Director Concetta Bencivenga. “The Transit Museum is delighted to celebrate such NYC institutions and encourages everyone to grab a nosh and head to Brooklyn to experience our newest exhibit “The Subway Is.”
Messages reminding customers of the Zabar’s deal will run on digital screens throughout subway stations and onboard train cars. The MTA and Zabar’s will also host a social media sweepstakes where there will be a chance to win a special MTAxZabar’s gift basket. A winner will be chosen on Sunday, Oct. 27.
This year, the MTA is marking 120 years of the subway on Sunday, Oct. 27. In addition to the Zabar’s partnership, the New York Transit Museum is offering four nostalgia train rides on Sunday, Oct. 27, and Saturday, Nov. 16. The Museum has also opened a new exhibit, The Subway Is...., which invites visitors to explore the profound impact of the subway on New York City’s development, culture, and identity.
In 1934, husband and wife Louis and Lillian Zabar established Zabar’s as a 22-foot-wide shop along Broadway and West 80th St. with a mission to serve the highest quality coffee and smoked fish. Four generations and 90 years later, the family business remains as a New York institution serving its carefully curated selection of world-class food, from smoked fish and fresh-baked bagels to pastries, freshly roasted coffee, cheese, and more gourmet and specialty items.
New York’s first underground rapid transit network, known as the Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT) subway, opened on Oct. 27, 1904, with 28 stations along a 9.1-mile line. The IRT expanded to the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens and was eventually joined by two competing companies, the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT) and the city-owned Independent Subway (IND).
In 1940, these companies were unified, and today they comprise the current New York City subway system which is made up of 25 routes, 472 stations, 800 track miles, and a fleet of over 6,000 passenger cars. Laid end to end, NYC Transit train tracks would stretch from New York City to Chicago.