7th Street Burger—the smash-burger chain that music icon Bad Bunny has publicly called his favorite—is set to open its first Bronx location at Third Avenue and East 149th Street, at The Hub in Melrose.
The new outpost will occupy the former home of Krispy Kreme, which shuttered after being open for only a few years despite significant fanfare when it first arrived as the famous donut shop expanded across New York City. Also of note, the burger chain will open directly across the street from a now-closed Starbucks location that lasted less than two years—an unusually short lifespan even by fast-casual standards. Together, these closures underscore the persistent volatility of retail at one of the Bronx’s busiest commercial intersections.
Founded in 2021 by longtime friends Kevin Rezvani and Paras Jain, 7th Street Burger began as a single, no-frills storefront in Manhattan’s East Village with a deliberately narrow focus: doing one style of burger well. The brand built its reputation on a pared-down menu, late-night hours, and a tight operational model that emphasized consistency over expansion-at-all-costs. That minimalist approach—paired with distinctive branding and strong word-of-mouth—helped fuel rapid growth across New York City and beyond, turning what started as a neighborhood burger spot into a multi-city chain in just a few years.
7th Street now boasts almost 30 locations with two dozen of them right here in New York City and The brand has also pushed beyond city limits, with locations now operating in Long Island, Hoboken, New Jersey, as well as Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland. Even Connecticut is about to get its first location over in Stamford. Its stripped-down menu, late-night hours, and emphasis on consistency have helped it stand out in an increasingly crowded fast-food and fast-casual market.
National and local outlets—including Time Out New York and The New York Times—have repeatedly ranked 7th Street Burger among the city’s top burger spots, helping propel its cult-like following. But its arrival in The Hub raises broader questions about what types of businesses can sustainably operate in this corridor, and for whom they are ultimately intended.
The Hub sees enormous foot traffic, serving as a transit nexus for buses and subways and a commercial gateway to the South Bronx. Yet high rents, rapid tenant turnover, and mismatches between national brands and local purchasing power have repeatedly undermined long-term retail stability. The failure of both Krispy Kreme and Starbucks—brands with significant capital, marketing reach, and name recognition—highlights the risks even well-financed chains face here.
Whether 7th Street Burger succeeds where others have faltered remains to be seen. Its relatively small footprint, limited menu, and appeal to younger consumers may prove better suited to the area’s rhythms than its predecessors. No confirmed date of their opening, but we’re hoping to get a taste of those burgers very soon.
