WatchHouse opens at Brookfield’s 660 Fifth Ave.

Manhattan, NY Brookfield Properties said that WatchHouse, the London-based specialty roastery and coffee house, has opened its first U.S. location at 660 Fifth Ave. in Midtown. WatchHouse occupies 1,500 s/f on the ground level of the 39-story, office tower.

“We are thrilled to open the doors to WatchHouse’s first location in the U.S. at 660 Fifth Ave. – a perfect fit for our building and tenants, and an excellent addition to the Midtown scene,” said Jason Maurer, executive vice president, national urban retail, Brookfield Properties.

“WatchHouse delivers an unwavering commitment to quality and craft in all its offerings and has designed an exquisite new space for day-to-night service, perfectly pairing London charm with New York City energy.”

WatchHouse operates 12 locations in the United Kingdom, including its first shop on London’s Bermondsey St., which opened in 2014. Like its other locations, the New York shop is modeled like an espresso bar, serving coffee, locally sourced baked goods and grab-and-go items during the day. WatchHouse is also offering an evening program with cocktails and light bites, with seating for over 20 guests in a space designed by Brooklyn-based architecture and design studio Carpenter & Mason.

With a curated aesthetic and exceptional experience, the shop embodies the elevated environment WatchHouse is known for while reflecting the one-of-a-kind identity and vibrancy of Midtown Manhattan.

“To be able to open our first-ever location in the U.S. on iconic Fifth Ave. in New York City is beyond exciting. WatchHouse is delivering an elevated, modern coffee experience including a robust menu, highly designed space and welcoming atmosphere,” said WatchHouse CEO and founder, Roland Horne. “660 Fifth Ave. is a beautiful building in a central location that is appealing to Midtown workers and tourists alike. We look forward to continued expansion in New York City and the states.”

As part of the 660 Fifth’s $400 million redevelopment completed in spring 2023, Brookfield Properties reoriented the ground floor retail space on 52^nd St. to grant tenants direct access to WatchHouse via the new main lobby and the street.

Built in 1957, Brookfield Properties acquired 660 Fifth in 2018. The tower’s 1.3 million s/f redevelopment began in 2019 with celebrated architecture firm Kohn Pedersen Fox. Located between 52^nd and 53^rd Sts. in Manhattan, the redesigned building features a brand-new lobby, elevators, world-class mechanical systems, outdoor terraces, upgraded infrastructure and a breathtaking new facade with 11x19 foot windows - the largest single-pane glass units ever used on a redevelopment in New York City.

The ower has attracted world-class tenants, among them financial services firm Macquarie Group, which signed on as the building’s anchor tenant, asset management firm 400 Capital Management, and financial services firm Stephens.