Crown Services offers many services, but notarizing signatures on important documents is no longer one of them. Photo by Tracy Zwick.

By Tracy Zwick

For over half a century, family-owned Crown Services on Broadway and West 107th Street has been servicing sewing machines, vacuums, electronics, “and other stuff” for Upper West Siders. Crown also used to be a place you could go to have a notary public witness your signature on a will, a power of attorney, or other important documents.

But Crown stopped offering notary services during COVID, said owner Mark Linde; even after the pandemic, notarizing documents was simply “too time-consuming” he said. With New York notaries statutorily barred from charging more than two dollars per signature, it just didn’t make business sense any more.

After the pandemic, and with the rise of remote online notarization (“RON”), in-person notaries have grown scarce on the UWS. But they haven’t disappeared! WSR took a walk around the neighborhood and made some calls to suss out where and when UWSers could get seen and have their documents stamped by a real-life notary. 

If you have a local notary, or live in a notary-free stretch of the UWS, please drop the information in the comments. 

Banks: Many banks provide notary services to their customers, and some will help non-customers, too. When I walked into TD Bank on Broadway between West 109th and 110th streets, I was offered immediate access to a notary, even though I don’t bank there. I asked about regular hours for notarizations and was told it depends on when the notary happens to be working each week. TD also offers online notarizations for its customers. 

Longtime UWSer and Chase Bank customer Rita Koplin said she’s used Chase Bank’s app to make appointments with notaries. But check if your local branch has a notary; when I asked at the Columbia University branch (on Broadway at West 109th Street) an employee told me there is never a notary at that location. 

My own bank, Citi, used to have a notary at the Broadway and West 111th Street location, but it’s been a few years since I’ve found a notary there, or at the Broadway and West 96th Street location. Citi’s website says: “ While some branches may have a notary public available, others might not. It’s always best to call your local branch ahead of time to confirm whether notary services are offered and if an appointment is necessary.”

Bank of America offers free notary services at some locations and instructs clients to make an appointment online. 

Financial services companies sometimes offer notaries, but when WSR called Charles Schwab’s Broadway location between West 83rd and 84th streets, a representative said their notary only works on Schwab-related documents. Even Schwab customers can’t get outside documents notarized there.

Stationery Stores: Several UWS stationery and art supply shops have notaries, though be careful – some may try to charge more than the allowed two bucks. West Side Stationers at 2620 Broadway (at the corner of West 99th Street) pretty consistently has a notary. But it’s a good idea to call ahead. The shop’s other UWS location, on the corner of Amsterdam and West 119th Street, has no notary. Janoff’s (2870 Broadway between West 111th and 112th streets) is another reliable spot for a notary. The store confirmed to WSR by phone that their notary is in every day (except Tuesdays) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a lunch break from noon to 1 p.m.

UPS Stores: A representative at the UPS store at West 79th Street and Broadway told WSR that each UPS store location is individually owned and operated, so there is no consistent practice concerning notaries. The location on West 86th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam offers notary services from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday, while the location at Broadway and West 79th Street has no notary. The 187 Amsterdam location has a notary, but customers are advised to call to see when the notary will be in. 

Visiting Notary: For more personalized service, the UWS has notaries who make house calls. Roberta Arnone, the “Neighborhood Notary,” started offering two dollar notarization in her UWS building’s lobby about fifteen years ago. She still does this most days, but contact her in advance to confirm. She’ll also make a house call, for Manhattan locations only. Pricing is per project. Reach out to her via her website for more information. 

A Notarizing Checklist

Any time you’re visiting a notary: 

All signees must be present.
Bring your complete documents to be signed, not just the signature pages.
Do not sign them in advance.
Be sure to have valid identification like a driver’s license or passport.

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