Upper East Side Shake Shack Set to Shake up the Neighborhood

The Shake Shack has just announced that it will be opening a new location on the Upper East Side. It will take the place of a run down sunken plaza at 182 East 86th Street. The Danny Meyer chain, which has locations on the Upper West Side and in Madison Square Park, has drawn in long lines of New Yorkers for over five years. Now, Upper East Siders won’t have to go far to get the Shake Shack’s famous burgers and frozen custard.

The residents of the neighborhood have mixed feelings about the new Shake Shack. Elaine Walsh, president of the East 86th Street association is less than pleased. She is more interested in drawing upscale retailers and restaurants to the area. She explained, “Do we want long lines waiting to go into Shake Shack, or do we want restaurants that can accommodate patrons with a sit-down dinner of high quality?” The neighborhood association recently implemented lamp posts on the street, in the hopes of classing up the area.

Other residents are optimistic about developing a space that was once an eyesore for the neighborhood. They also sight the food and the restaurant’s family-friendly atmosphere as pluses. Others still worry that their living rooms will smell like hot dogs.

This year the Shake Shack plans to expand rapidly. The company will open two additional New York shacks in Times Square, downtown at Prince and Mulberry, a Miami outpost and even the first international location in Kuwait.

Via: NY Times