The long-vacant kiosk outside the West 72nd Street and Broadway train station is finally getting a new tenant: a flower shop called Verdi Blooms, set to open in the first half of 2027. The kiosk has sat empty since the Covid pandemic forced out its last occupant, a Le Pain Quotidien cafe that shuttered at the pandemic's onset.
Verdi Blooms owner Emiliano Galindo was selected earlier this year for a nine-year contract to run the kiosk, according to West Side Rag. Galindo began the RFP application process with the New York City Parks Department in 2024 to become the kiosk's official vendor, and he has lived on the Upper West Side with his partner since 2018. He told the outlet that the kiosk's location and appearance reminded him of flower shops in Mexico City, where he is from.
What Customers Can Expect
Once open, Verdi Blooms will offer customers a choice of three arrangement sizes — small, medium, and large — all built from seasonal flowers sourced from the Flower District. Those selections will change weekly, the shop's owner said, and the business plans to serve customers at least five days a week. The exact opening date has not yet been decided, though the shop is aiming for spring.
Verdi Square is named for Giuseppe Verdi, the Italian opera composer.
Parks Department and Local Officials Weigh In
NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura said the department is glad to see the space filled on a lasting basis, stating that NYC Parks is pleased to welcome this floral business to its new long-term home at the Verdi Square kiosk. Former Council Member Gale Brewer has also voiced support for the venture, writing that investment, lighting upgrades, and maintenance will make Verdi Square safer and more inviting.
A Square With a History of Turnover
The kiosk's long vacancy fits into a broader pattern of change at the small triangular park. A 2016 dispatch from the same outlet reported that two candy and news kiosks in the area had closed in recent months, around the time workers were spotted installing coffee machines and refrigerators at the site of a former candy and newspaper stand in the square — the setup that eventually became Le Pain Quotidien, which a 2019 West Side Rag report confirmed was then operating a kiosk in the square.
According to the LaGuardia Design Group, its New York team has partnered with Friends of Verdi Square to reimagine the park's plantings and public realm.
With Verdi Blooms now holding a nine-year lease, the kiosk looks set for its longest stretch of stability since the pandemic emptied it out. Neighbors passing through the 72nd Street station next spring should start seeing fresh blooms where the old cafe counter once stood.
