New York Sub Closes After Two Decades in Park Cities

New York Sub, the sandwich shop that became a Park Cities institution over two decades, has closed both its Highland Park and University Park locations, marking the end of an era for a restaurant that built its reputation on New York-style deli sandwiches and community support.

The closures come as commercial real estate costs continue climbing across North Dallas, putting pressure on longtime local businesses that lack the deep pockets of national chains. New York Sub’s departure follows a pattern affecting independent restaurants throughout Preston Hollow and the Park Cities, where rising rents and post-pandemic shifts in dining habits have forced several beloved establishments to shutter.

New York Sub opened its first location in Highland Park Village in 2004, bringing authentic East Coast deli fare to a community hungry for quality sandwiches. The shop quickly became a gathering spot for Highland Park High School students, Park Cities families, and North Dallas office workers seeking a quick, quality lunch.

“They were part of the fabric of the community,” said longtime Highland Park resident Sarah Martinez, whose family frequented the Preston Road location. “You’d see the same faces there every week — it was that kind of place where everyone knew your order.”

The restaurant expanded to a second location on Preston Road near Northwest Highway, serving the broader Preston Hollow area. Both locations became known for their pastrami on rye, Italian subs, and New York-style customer service — friendly but efficient.

Owner David Goldstein, a New York transplant who moved to Dallas in the early 2000s, built the business around authentic recipes and high-quality ingredients. The restaurants sourced their bread from local bakeries and sliced meats fresh daily, maintaining standards that kept customers coming back despite higher prices than typical sandwich chains.

But the economics of independent restaurant operation in North Dallas have grown increasingly challenging. Commercial lease rates in Highland Park Village have more than doubled since 2004, according to local real estate data. The Preston Road location faced similar pressures as the corridor transformed from mid-market retail to higher-end developments.

The pandemic accelerated existing trends that hurt sit-down sandwich shops. More Park Cities residents began working from home, reducing weekday lunch traffic that formed New York Sub’s backbone. Food delivery apps, while providing new revenue streams, came with commission fees that squeezed already thin margins.

“The math just stopped working,” a restaurant industry source familiar with the situation said. “When your rent triples and your lunch crowd shrinks by half, you’re fighting an impossible battle.”

The closures reflect broader challenges facing Park Cities businesses as the area continues evolving. Independent retailers and restaurants that thrived when Highland Park and University Park were more insular communities now compete with national brands and online alternatives for customers with more dining and shopping options.

New York Sub’s community involvement made its loss particularly painful for longtime customers. The restaurants sponsored youth sports teams, donated food for school events, and employed dozens of local high school students over the years. During the 2021 winter storm that left much of North Dallas without power, the Preston Road location stayed open and provided free soup to neighbors.

The Highland Park location’s closure removes one of the few remaining independent restaurants in Highland Park Village, which has increasingly filled with national chains and high-end retailers. Village management has pushed toward luxury brands that can afford higher rents, leaving little space for the neighborhood establishments that once defined the shopping center.

Local food critics had consistently praised New York Sub for maintaining quality while avoiding the expansion trap that kills many successful restaurants. Goldstein resisted franchising opportunities and multiple expansion offers, preferring to focus on perfecting operations at his two locations.

The Preston Road closure particularly impacts Preston Hollow residents who relied on the restaurant for business lunches and family dinners. With limited walkable dining options in the area, the loss forces residents to drive further for similar quality and convenience.

“It’s another piece of what made this area special that’s gone,” said Preston Hollow resident Mike Thompson, who brought clients to New York Sub regularly. “These places create community character you can’t replace with another chain restaurant.”

Commercial real estate experts expect more independent restaurant closures across North Dallas as lease renewals force owners to choose between dramatically higher rents or closure. Restaurants opening since 2020 have built higher rent costs into their business models, but establishments like New York Sub that opened when commercial space cost far less face impossible adjustments.

The New York Sub closures also highlight changing demographics in the Park Cities, where younger residents often prefer fast-casual chains or food delivery over traditional sit-down sandwich shops. Park Cities families increasingly juggle schedules that favor grab-and-go options over the leisurely lunch culture that supported New York Sub’s business model.

Goldstein has not announced plans for reopening elsewhere or selling the business concept. Former employees report he’s considering leaving the restaurant industry entirely, frustrated by rising costs and diminishing returns on the long hours required to operate independent restaurants.

The Park Cities will lose more than just sandwich options with New York Sub’s closure. The restaurants represented a connection to the area’s recent past, when independent businesses could thrive alongside national retailers and when community gathering spaces emerged organically rather than through calculated development strategies.

For now, the empty storefronts serve as reminders of how economic pressures reshape even the most stable communities, leaving longtime residents to find new gathering places and mourn the loss of establishments that helped define their neighborhoods’ character.