By Samantha Murphy and Desiree Wiley
BengalNews Reporters
With Christmas right around the corner, small businesses on the West Side are gearing up for their busiest time of year. Businesses such as West Side Stories, Guercio & Sons Inc., Krudmart and the West Side Bazaar are a just few of the small businesses hoping to make big money this year.
According to American Research Group Inc. consumers anticipate spending $646 on gifts this holiday. However, 37 percent of those shoppers will be doing so online. Still, local businesses remain very optimistic and have been hard at work attracting customers.
With the birth of the company in 2002, Krudmart is enjoying its success. Its location at 212 Grant St., has been up and running for two years. Krudmart’s owner and employees are dedicated to offering creative and revolutionary street wear items at affordable prices.
Brands such as 10 Deep, ArtistiCreation, Acapulco Gold, Black Scale and many more can be found 15 percent to 50 percent off during the holiday season. Employees plan to see a full store throughout the month.
“Business picks up during the holiday season, especially black Friday,” said Richard Rouse, boutique manager, “people really like to get into the fashion fall wear.”
This fashion outlet is excited to introduce another big name to their store, the Billionaire Boys Club. Shoppers have already cleared out some of the inventory.
“This is a unisex boutique, but the female clothes that we have are pretty much sold out,” said Rouse, “now we’re looking forward to get more in.”
Krudmart isn’t the only local business thriving during this holiday rush. Just a few doors down at 242 Grant St., the West Side Bazaar is also preparing for the influx of customers.
“Next week we have many more things coming in because we have more customers coming in for the holiday season,” said Novi Pulach, a vendor at the bazaar from Indonesia.
The bazaar has also teamed up with ZGM Fine Arts Gallery to offer a global market of products. Entrepreneurs from Indonesia, Nepal, Africa, Peru and others sell items from their native lands- and food too.
“We have some food from Peru, like cookies and potatoes,” said Paluch. “It is really good food.”
After satisfying your appetite, you can browse the booths of many vendors.
“We have jewelry and carvings from all the different countries,” said Paluch, “and for December we are giving 10 percent off.”
Shoppers can even have their purchases gift-wrapped.
Guercio & Sons Inc., located at 250 Grant St., has been providing the West Side with local, quality produce and groceries since it’s opening in 1961. Like any other retail store, Guercio’s is also already seeing an increase in sales.
Tom Guercio, treasurer of Guercio’s, said, “We get much busier with the holidays, especially Christmas and New Year’s.”
Unlike other small businesses, Guercio is not intimidated by the growing popularity of huge grocery chains.
“We have our own clientele and we get a lot of wholesale from the restaurants, so we’re not worried about competition,” he said.
West Side Stories, located at 205 Grant St., just opened its doors on July 15, so owner Joe Petri isn’t expecting a big holiday rush.
“I’m not expecting a huge rush of Christmas shoppers buying used books,” Petri said. “The bulk of our business is from people who are out shopping for themselves, buying used books.”
But Petri is still working on ways to get more holiday shoppers into the store.
“We do have some other things, gift certificates, gift item type things like hand made journals and also some jewelry,” he said, “so we do have some things that will appeal to Christmas shoppers.”
West Side Stories is also offering a special book bargain: If you purchase a $20 gift certificate you will receive an additional $5 gift certificate for free.
But making money isn’t Petri’s biggest holiday concern. West Side Stories is also hoping to contribute to the revival of the West Side community.
“We want to make books cheap and accessible to everyone and we want to help the neighborhood,” he said. “I feel like putting your money into the West Side is helping what has already been a great revitalization. We’re doing our little bit to help.”
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
Brewery hopes to revive Buffalo tradition
By Kevin Freiheit and Melissa Kania
BengalNews Reporters
One of Ethan Cox's goals for his upcoming Lafayette Avenue brewery is to "embeer" Buffalo.
Community Beer Works, a project that has been brewing since Cox and David Foster came up with the idea in spring 2010, is slated to open in 2012 at 15 Lafayette Ave., near Niagara Street.
They chose the location for several reasons, partly because in a world where brewing has become largely industrialized, CBW will be a neighborhood brewery.
"We feel really good about being here," Cox said. "Bidwell Park, the Niagara River…. Grant [Street] is picking up, and we're helping with that."
Philip Kneitinger, a supporter of Community Beer Works, said he thinks it's a great location.
"So often, businesses stick to neighborhoods like Elmwood, Allen, Hertel - neighborhoods that are move-in ready and friendly - because maybe it's easier," he said. "Setting up on Lafayette, CBW found a building that suits them that isn't necessarily in a pretty part of town.”
Kneitinger said that by setting up on Lafayette, CBW will help to bring business and activity to a traditionally ignored part of Buffalo.
The building is also connected to Buffalo's brewing history. The Meyer Malting Company used the building for vehicles and storage, according to Cox, and out-of-town executives may have used the apartments on the second floor.
"All the grain stopped in Buffalo briefly and was stored in those towers," Cox said. "A malting industry was a natural thing to do; you've got all this grain and it's just sitting here. You can buy it, malt it and sell it for three times as much as what you bought it for."
The location near Niagara Street is also suitable for other reasons.
"For a small brewery where we're really depending on foot traffic," Cox said, "you really have to be in a place where people can get to," which is why the West Side location works.
City zoning laws dictate where businesses, industrial and commercial properties can be located, and Cox said the brewery is in exactly the right zoning location.
"There is some foot traffic," he said. "The immediate neighborhood is probably not our target demographic, but we're as close to that target demographic as we can be legally."
Ethan Cox, president of Community Beer Works, discusses how the process of brewing is both art and science, and how the two components come together:
Born in Ohio, Cox moved here when he was four and considers himself a Buffalo native. He attended Bennett Park Montessori, Olmstead 56 and City Honors before moving onto boarding school and going away for college. Stints in Boston, Tucson and Chicago led him back to Buffalo, where he and his wife chose to raise their family.
Foster, one of Cox's partners in the project, was born and raised in the West Side area, attending Lafayette High School and working at a local record store.
For both men, the location makes perfect sense for the brewery.
"I'm Buffalo through and through," Cox said. "This is our community."
To stay connected with the neighborhood, Community Beer Works plans to partner with the Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP) and urban farmers.
Cox referred to MAP's tilapia growing project as an example of how Community Beer Works plans to remain involved in the neighborhood. Donated grain will be fed to worms, which turn compost into fine dirt. The dirt is then distributed into the aquaponics system and helps to filter water, which is pumped through a system for the tilapia tanks.
Cox said many breweries do something responsible with their grain, often donating it to farms to feed cattle.
"This works for Buffalo and for our community," Cox said. "They're right there and we're small enough, and their needs are small enough."
Urban hop farms are another project that Cox is interested in.
He's been contacted by people from Wheatfield and the East Side of Buffalo who are growing hops, which is a complicated process because hops need to be dried and processed before they can be used.
Although the hop-growing process is very involved, Cox said he loves to use fresh hops and wants to encourage professional, but small-scale, local hop agriculture, as well as all different aspects of brewing a beer culture.
"Once or twice a year, we probably can make a beer with just people's backyard hops," he said. "That won't be the same beer year after year at all; that will be fun."
ox said Community Beer Works does not have a targeted open date yet, but mid-January is a realistic expectation for when brewing will begin. They have put in their application to the State Liquor Authority, and construction is still in progress. After that's finished, it will take two weeks to brew the beer.
Aside from the goals of making enough money to stay in business and producing 'ridiculously good' beer, Community Beer Works has one main goal.
"I hope we kick-start a brewing focus and a brewing culture in Buffalo," Cox said.
He said preservation and architecture are great efforts, but a city needs diversity and bringing a brewing culture back here will provide just that, giving Buffalo a new identity.
"The Buffalonians that are left here are pretty into Buffalo," Cox said. "Those that remain are the kind of die-hards, and this town can easily support a bunch of breweries."
Kneitinger said that Buffalo's brewing culture is largely due for a revival.
"Buffalo once boasted dozens upon dozens of small breweries, but as time rolled on, they all vanished," he said. "With this new craft brewing movement starting to really pick up steam, it feels like small brewing endeavors can really take off again and a place like Buffalo would embrace it. For CBW to join big players in Buffalo like Flying Bison and Pearl Street, it helps reestablish that Buffalo brewing tradition again." Edited by Samantha Murphy
BengalNews Reporters
One of Ethan Cox's goals for his upcoming Lafayette Avenue brewery is to "embeer" Buffalo.
Community Beer Works, a project that has been brewing since Cox and David Foster came up with the idea in spring 2010, is slated to open in 2012 at 15 Lafayette Ave., near Niagara Street.
 |
| Ethan Cox stands amid construction at Community Beer Works |
"We feel really good about being here," Cox said. "Bidwell Park, the Niagara River…. Grant [Street] is picking up, and we're helping with that."
Philip Kneitinger, a supporter of Community Beer Works, said he thinks it's a great location.
"So often, businesses stick to neighborhoods like Elmwood, Allen, Hertel - neighborhoods that are move-in ready and friendly - because maybe it's easier," he said. "Setting up on Lafayette, CBW found a building that suits them that isn't necessarily in a pretty part of town.”
Kneitinger said that by setting up on Lafayette, CBW will help to bring business and activity to a traditionally ignored part of Buffalo.
The building is also connected to Buffalo's brewing history. The Meyer Malting Company used the building for vehicles and storage, according to Cox, and out-of-town executives may have used the apartments on the second floor.
"All the grain stopped in Buffalo briefly and was stored in those towers," Cox said. "A malting industry was a natural thing to do; you've got all this grain and it's just sitting here. You can buy it, malt it and sell it for three times as much as what you bought it for."
The location near Niagara Street is also suitable for other reasons.
"For a small brewery where we're really depending on foot traffic," Cox said, "you really have to be in a place where people can get to," which is why the West Side location works.
City zoning laws dictate where businesses, industrial and commercial properties can be located, and Cox said the brewery is in exactly the right zoning location.
"There is some foot traffic," he said. "The immediate neighborhood is probably not our target demographic, but we're as close to that target demographic as we can be legally."
Ethan Cox, president of Community Beer Works, discusses how the process of brewing is both art and science, and how the two components come together:
Born in Ohio, Cox moved here when he was four and considers himself a Buffalo native. He attended Bennett Park Montessori, Olmstead 56 and City Honors before moving onto boarding school and going away for college. Stints in Boston, Tucson and Chicago led him back to Buffalo, where he and his wife chose to raise their family.
Foster, one of Cox's partners in the project, was born and raised in the West Side area, attending Lafayette High School and working at a local record store.
For both men, the location makes perfect sense for the brewery.
"I'm Buffalo through and through," Cox said. "This is our community."
To stay connected with the neighborhood, Community Beer Works plans to partner with the Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP) and urban farmers.
Cox referred to MAP's tilapia growing project as an example of how Community Beer Works plans to remain involved in the neighborhood. Donated grain will be fed to worms, which turn compost into fine dirt. The dirt is then distributed into the aquaponics system and helps to filter water, which is pumped through a system for the tilapia tanks.
Cox said many breweries do something responsible with their grain, often donating it to farms to feed cattle.
"This works for Buffalo and for our community," Cox said. "They're right there and we're small enough, and their needs are small enough."
Urban hop farms are another project that Cox is interested in.
He's been contacted by people from Wheatfield and the East Side of Buffalo who are growing hops, which is a complicated process because hops need to be dried and processed before they can be used.
Although the hop-growing process is very involved, Cox said he loves to use fresh hops and wants to encourage professional, but small-scale, local hop agriculture, as well as all different aspects of brewing a beer culture.
"Once or twice a year, we probably can make a beer with just people's backyard hops," he said. "That won't be the same beer year after year at all; that will be fun."
ox said Community Beer Works does not have a targeted open date yet, but mid-January is a realistic expectation for when brewing will begin. They have put in their application to the State Liquor Authority, and construction is still in progress. After that's finished, it will take two weeks to brew the beer.
Aside from the goals of making enough money to stay in business and producing 'ridiculously good' beer, Community Beer Works has one main goal.
"I hope we kick-start a brewing focus and a brewing culture in Buffalo," Cox said.
He said preservation and architecture are great efforts, but a city needs diversity and bringing a brewing culture back here will provide just that, giving Buffalo a new identity.
"The Buffalonians that are left here are pretty into Buffalo," Cox said. "Those that remain are the kind of die-hards, and this town can easily support a bunch of breweries."
Kneitinger said that Buffalo's brewing culture is largely due for a revival.
"Buffalo once boasted dozens upon dozens of small breweries, but as time rolled on, they all vanished," he said. "With this new craft brewing movement starting to really pick up steam, it feels like small brewing endeavors can really take off again and a place like Buffalo would embrace it. For CBW to join big players in Buffalo like Flying Bison and Pearl Street, it helps reestablish that Buffalo brewing tradition again." Edited by Samantha Murphy
Monday, November 14, 2011
Grants flow slowly to area small businesses
By Mike Meiler and Julia Merulla
BengalNews Reporters
When Kim DeFlyer looks out across the street from the New to You thrift store, she sees a building with great potential.
It’s a former beauty salon at 286 Grant St. that has been vacant at least since the thrift store opened in 2007. On the Job Ministries eventually purchased it with the hope of expanding its operations, DeFlyer said.
But after so much time of neglect, the building needs $160,000 in renovations to restore it.
Kim DeFlyer discusses plans to apply Main Street grant money to a vacant building:
DeFlyer is looking to get some of that money from a $500,000 grant that was awarded to a two-block area of Grant Street.
Since September 2010, when PUSH Buffalo received the state-funded grant, the effects have been varied.
Business owners in the area from Delevan Avenue to Auburn Avenue along Grant Street are able to apply for funds from the New York Main Street Grant to enhance their stores, said Michael Clarke, executive director of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation.
Clarke said his organization helped PUSH apply for the grant, which serves as an incentive for businesses to make the improvements they need.
The grant extends beyond just businesses, however. Clarke said some of the money will go toward adding benches and trash cans, street planning, and even fixing up residential properties, such as those above stores.
“It’s a mixture of public improvements plus property improvements,” Clarke said.
According to Sarah Gordon, community organizer for PUSH, some businesses have been approved, others are waiting to be approved and some have not yet applied. Clarke said there was no specific timeline for the projects to be completed but estimated it would take a couple years.
Even with a half a million dollars in funds available, money is still an issue. Clarke said businesses must contribute some of their own funds toward their projects.
DeFlyer said businesses must have the funding for the entire project themselves before they can be approved to receive part of the grant. The grant will reimburse a business for 75 percent of the cost of the project, or $150,000, whichever is less. The business contributes the remaining 25 percent.
“I know a lot of people were excluded because they didn’t have cash up front,” DeFlyer said.
But even though On the Job Ministries was approved, DeFlyer said she was frustrated with the delay in making progress on the new building.
“Right now, we’re waiting for certain building permits,” DeFlyer said. “We’re gonna roll in good faith because we can’t afford to go through the winter with the building not weatherized.”
At least one business has made an improvement under the grant, however.
Liz Ettestad, owner of West Side Bazaar, said the landlord applied for and received money for a new door that was installed about a month ago, replacing a less energy-efficient model.
"It was an older wooden door and there was quite an air gap underneath," Ettestad said.
She said she was unaware of future plans to use more of the grant money.
Edited by Kevin Freiheit
BengalNews Reporters
When Kim DeFlyer looks out across the street from the New to You thrift store, she sees a building with great potential.
It’s a former beauty salon at 286 Grant St. that has been vacant at least since the thrift store opened in 2007. On the Job Ministries eventually purchased it with the hope of expanding its operations, DeFlyer said.
But after so much time of neglect, the building needs $160,000 in renovations to restore it.
Kim DeFlyer discusses plans to apply Main Street grant money to a vacant building:
DeFlyer is looking to get some of that money from a $500,000 grant that was awarded to a two-block area of Grant Street.
Since September 2010, when PUSH Buffalo received the state-funded grant, the effects have been varied.
Business owners in the area from Delevan Avenue to Auburn Avenue along Grant Street are able to apply for funds from the New York Main Street Grant to enhance their stores, said Michael Clarke, executive director of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation.
Clarke said his organization helped PUSH apply for the grant, which serves as an incentive for businesses to make the improvements they need.
The grant extends beyond just businesses, however. Clarke said some of the money will go toward adding benches and trash cans, street planning, and even fixing up residential properties, such as those above stores.
“It’s a mixture of public improvements plus property improvements,” Clarke said.
According to Sarah Gordon, community organizer for PUSH, some businesses have been approved, others are waiting to be approved and some have not yet applied. Clarke said there was no specific timeline for the projects to be completed but estimated it would take a couple years.
Even with a half a million dollars in funds available, money is still an issue. Clarke said businesses must contribute some of their own funds toward their projects.
DeFlyer said businesses must have the funding for the entire project themselves before they can be approved to receive part of the grant. The grant will reimburse a business for 75 percent of the cost of the project, or $150,000, whichever is less. The business contributes the remaining 25 percent.
“I know a lot of people were excluded because they didn’t have cash up front,” DeFlyer said.
But even though On the Job Ministries was approved, DeFlyer said she was frustrated with the delay in making progress on the new building.
“Right now, we’re waiting for certain building permits,” DeFlyer said. “We’re gonna roll in good faith because we can’t afford to go through the winter with the building not weatherized.”
At least one business has made an improvement under the grant, however.
Liz Ettestad, owner of West Side Bazaar, said the landlord applied for and received money for a new door that was installed about a month ago, replacing a less energy-efficient model.
"It was an older wooden door and there was quite an air gap underneath," Ettestad said.
She said she was unaware of future plans to use more of the grant money.
Edited by Kevin Freiheit
Monday, April 18, 2011
Rising gas prices force business' hand
By Craig Learn and Taylor Steinberg
Bengal News Reporters
As gas prices rise in the United States, West Side businesses may be forced to take action.
According to buffalogasprices.com the national average price for a gallon of gas in the second week of March in the United States is $3.53, and the average for a gallon of gas in Buffalo is $3.70. There are several businesses on the West Side that have already been affected by the increase in fuel prices.
One of those businesses is Guercio & Sons Inc. located on Grant Street.
Guercio’s is a supermarket that sells classic Italian foods and other grocery needs. At the same time the store is a wholesale store that caters to various Buffalo businesses.
Its wholesale products are rising in price because its fuel prices have risen 50 percent according to Vincent Guercio, manager of the store. This has not made Guercio raise his prices in the grocery store itself, but it could very soon.
One example of a product that has risen in price is lettuce.
“Take for instance roman lettuce, roman hearts used to be, around this time of year, maybe $26, this year market price is $52,” Guercio said. “It’s because of gas.”
“Right now we are not implementing any delivery charges as of yet,” he said. “But we are looking at the options of delivery fees, possibly reducing routes or possibly laying people off, driver wise.”
Guercio also said his store might consider consolidating how many deliveries they do in one trip. For example, the store might pack as many deliveries into one truck as it can to save money. Right now Guercio’s delivers as far out as East Aurora and Angola.
Rising prices are even affecting smaller businesses like New To You, a thrift store which sells used clothing and appliances at reasonable prices for West Side residents.
The store provides free pick up to those who donate, and free delivery for residents that do not have a vehicle.
The biggest cost for the store comes from pick-ups of donations according to Kim DeFlyer, executive Director for New To You.
Right now the store is only making deliveries three days a week because of the gas prices said DeFlyer.
The store does not want to raise its prices.
“Boy I hope not,” she said, when asked, “If anything we would like to lower it, put things on promotion so we can give things to them cheaper, especially if its something we have an over abundance.”
DeFlyer explains what her business will do if gas prices continue to rise.
Sweetness 7 Café on the corner of Grant Street and Lafayette Avenue is another business affected by the rise in prices. It uses Guercio & Sons Inc. for many items.
Owner Prish Moran said no matter what she will not switch to a different distributor because she loves Guercio’s.
It is not the rising costs of food that puts the big hit on Moran’s business, but rather the gas bill.
“Most directly is my heating bill, my gas bill, I use my gas for heating and for cooking,” she said.
Moran has two cafés, one on Grant Street the other on Parkside Avenue. She said she has double ovens on the Grant Street store and one huge oven at Parkside Avenue and those are what are driving up her gas bill.
Moran said prices have gone up on everything, even the basics.
“All the staples, milk, butter, eggs, flower, everything has gone up and I don’t mean a nickel or a dime, like $20 a case for butter, that’s huge for a restaurant,” she said.
Her vender prices have gone up as well, but there are ways around that.
“All of the delivery charges have gone up for all of my venders because their gas prices have gone up,” she said. ”But the only thing I’ve done is made half the amount of trips so we just order more at one time now.”
Moran said she has seen a decrease in business since the gas prices rose on her Parkside location but an increase in business on the Grant Street location because the majority of customers walk or bike to the restaurant.
The thought of raising prices in Moran’s stores does not cross her mind.
“It has not, in all honesty it has not,” she said. “I haven’t even thought about it, I really haven’t. I feel strongly about the reality of how much will someone really spend for cup of coffee.”
Bengal News Reporters
As gas prices rise in the United States, West Side businesses may be forced to take action.
According to buffalogasprices.com the national average price for a gallon of gas in the second week of March in the United States is $3.53, and the average for a gallon of gas in Buffalo is $3.70. There are several businesses on the West Side that have already been affected by the increase in fuel prices.
 |
| Vincent Guercio says gas prices prompted a hike in lettuce costs |
Guercio’s is a supermarket that sells classic Italian foods and other grocery needs. At the same time the store is a wholesale store that caters to various Buffalo businesses.
Its wholesale products are rising in price because its fuel prices have risen 50 percent according to Vincent Guercio, manager of the store. This has not made Guercio raise his prices in the grocery store itself, but it could very soon.
One example of a product that has risen in price is lettuce.
“Take for instance roman lettuce, roman hearts used to be, around this time of year, maybe $26, this year market price is $52,” Guercio said. “It’s because of gas.”
“Right now we are not implementing any delivery charges as of yet,” he said. “But we are looking at the options of delivery fees, possibly reducing routes or possibly laying people off, driver wise.”
Guercio also said his store might consider consolidating how many deliveries they do in one trip. For example, the store might pack as many deliveries into one truck as it can to save money. Right now Guercio’s delivers as far out as East Aurora and Angola.
Rising prices are even affecting smaller businesses like New To You, a thrift store which sells used clothing and appliances at reasonable prices for West Side residents.
The store provides free pick up to those who donate, and free delivery for residents that do not have a vehicle.
The biggest cost for the store comes from pick-ups of donations according to Kim DeFlyer, executive Director for New To You.
Right now the store is only making deliveries three days a week because of the gas prices said DeFlyer.
The store does not want to raise its prices.
“Boy I hope not,” she said, when asked, “If anything we would like to lower it, put things on promotion so we can give things to them cheaper, especially if its something we have an over abundance.”
DeFlyer explains what her business will do if gas prices continue to rise.
Sweetness 7 Café on the corner of Grant Street and Lafayette Avenue is another business affected by the rise in prices. It uses Guercio & Sons Inc. for many items.
Owner Prish Moran said no matter what she will not switch to a different distributor because she loves Guercio’s.
It is not the rising costs of food that puts the big hit on Moran’s business, but rather the gas bill.
“Most directly is my heating bill, my gas bill, I use my gas for heating and for cooking,” she said.
Moran has two cafés, one on Grant Street the other on Parkside Avenue. She said she has double ovens on the Grant Street store and one huge oven at Parkside Avenue and those are what are driving up her gas bill.
Moran said prices have gone up on everything, even the basics.
“All the staples, milk, butter, eggs, flower, everything has gone up and I don’t mean a nickel or a dime, like $20 a case for butter, that’s huge for a restaurant,” she said.
Her vender prices have gone up as well, but there are ways around that.
“All of the delivery charges have gone up for all of my venders because their gas prices have gone up,” she said. ”But the only thing I’ve done is made half the amount of trips so we just order more at one time now.”
Moran said she has seen a decrease in business since the gas prices rose on her Parkside location but an increase in business on the Grant Street location because the majority of customers walk or bike to the restaurant.
The thought of raising prices in Moran’s stores does not cross her mind.
“It has not, in all honesty it has not,” she said. “I haven’t even thought about it, I really haven’t. I feel strongly about the reality of how much will someone really spend for cup of coffee.”
Edited by Ariel Hofher and Corey O'Leary
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