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The coming months will be busy as well: Another 17 projects are underway, some with openings expected this summer and others later this fall and winter.
In the busiest month yet this year for openings, Buffalo Business First reported in the month of June on 20 restaurants, bars and food-related business opening.
The period also included six business closings — including one that had opened earlier that month — and a few businesses with new owners.
The coming months will be busy as well: Another 17 projects are underway, some with openings expected this summer and others later this fall and winter.
• Over the Falls Creamery opened at 2500 Military Road in Niagara Falls, formerly home to Western Regional OTB and Mister M’s bar/restaurant. Operated by Niagara Falls businessman Randy Sinatra and his brother Ryan, the shop includes sweets from at least four ice cream makers.
• Old Souls Gelato opened at 1 N. Main St. in Perry, offering artisan housemade gelato in a variety of flavors. The venture comes from Josh Wolcott, who opened Old Souls Bakery next door at 5 N. Main in January at the former For the Love of Flour bakery.
• Dulce Hogar Bakery opened at 448 Oliver St. in North Tonawanda. The family business is owned by Gustavo Pineda and offers a menu of traditional Colombian cuisine, including tamales and arepa flatbreads as well as soups and homemade ice cream.
• 200 Main opened at 200 Main St., Tonawanda, formerly The Dome. The new concept comes from Keith and Selina Marshall, who bought the building five years ago. The new bar/restaurant includes a menu crafted by Chef Jay Urban.
• Beacon Grille opened in late June at 185 Allen St. in Buffalo. Husband-wife team Bruce and Amanda Wieszala bring experience from Tappo, the Curtis Hotel and the former Bourbon & Butter. Beacon has been in development since late 2022.
• El Jefe Mexican Bar and Grill opened in late May at 1340 Orchard Park Road, West Seneca at the former Country Peddlers site. The opening follows the sale of the building in January.
• Parker’s Great British Institution reopened for business at 495 Aero Drive in Cheektowaga, a new manufacturing site under new owners Michelle Potter and Emma Reynolds. The menu includes sausage rolls, pork pies and steak and ale pie.
• Stephen Development opened a new commercial kitchen at 8580 Main St. in Clarence. Clarence Creative Kitchen will be a full-serve, shared commercial kitchen providing commissary space for food prep businesses, caterers, bakers and food trucks.
• Cousins Maine Lobster, a national franchise, started food truck operations in Buffalo as a multi-market franchisee that also covers Rochester and Syracuse. Pete and Cindy Sztankovits currently run five food trucks in central and northwestern New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania.
• Cinnabon opened on the upper level of the Walden Galleria near Macy’s. It’s the second location for the dessert shop, which returned to the area with a site at the Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls USA food court last year.
• Avalon Marina Concierge opened with on-demand food and catering as well as provisions, transportation, accommodations and specialty spa services for boaters at marinas from Youngstown down to Buffalo’s Outer Harbor. The business comes from Shannon Philbrick, whose partners include Dan Gagliardo, founder of D’Avolio sites in Williamsville and East Amherst.
• Taquito Lindo reopened at 1849 Grand Island Blvd. on Grand Island after a four month shutdown. The restaurant, which also has a location in Williamsville, first opened at the site in summer 2021. The business is owned by Andrew Mackmin and his wife, Sandra Ortiz.
• Johnny D’s Restaurant opened inside the Hyatt Regency Buffalo at 2 Fountain Plaza in Buffalo, in the former Morton’s Steakhouse. The venture comes from Chris Harter, a former executive with Delaware North, who is leasing space from Douglas Development. The menu includes steak, burgers, seafood and sushi.
• Gyro King opened at 1493 E Delavan Ave. in Buffalo, offering halal dishes including lamb chops and seasoned chicken. It’s the second location for Zeeshan Khan and Shaley Begum, who launched the business last November at 525 Broadway in Buffalo.
• Buffalo Suya Lounge has expanded with a second site at 875 Bailey Ave. in Buffalo, formerly home to City Lounge. Owner Olusola O. Sholola said the new site will be a bar/lounge and will feature a smaller menu of the same African/Nigerian foods offered at the restaurant he opened at 2383 Fillmore Ave. in 2022.
• The Pool Club at Sol Buffalo opened at 140 Chandler St., Buffalo, formerly Tappo Pool Club. The pool club/music venue comes from Josh Mullin, Jake Monti, Simon Wilson and Kevin Sampson, who plan to offer Mexican-themed offerings focused on tacos and tequila.
• The NYBP Brewery & Lodge opened at 245 Windward Drive off Sterling Park in Orchard Park, about a mile away from Highmark Stadium. It’s the fourth restaurant for New York Beer Project owners Kelly and Kevin Krupski, joining locations in Lockport, Rochester and Orlando, which opened in November.
• The Fire Spot Restaurant opened at 2829 Niagara St. in Buffalo, just north of Riverside Park. Owned by Rodney Wilkinson, the restaurant’s comfort food menu includes chicken and waffles; ribs; steak and chicken hoagies; and fish, chicken and shrimp dinners.
• Jersey Mike’s Subs opened a site at 3385 Union Road in Cheektowaga under franchisee Kristina Walton. It’s the ninth store to open in the region, with an additional store in development at Brierwood Plaza in Hamburg. Walton also owns locations in Hamburg on McKinley Parkway and in Amherst on Niagara Falls Boulevard.
• Foxhole Farm Winery closed at 8325 Cole Road in Colden, but reopened a week later. According to WKBW, the closure came after the Town of Boston ordered the business to cease operations, citing code violations and the lack of necessary permits. Todd Gallagher is the owner.
• The Old Pink was demolished after it was destroyed by fire at 223 Allen St. in Buffalo. The business was operated since 1990 by Mary “Molly” Brinkworth’s Mo-Go Inc. as Allen Street Bar & Grill, though it remained known as the Old Pink.
• The Foxglove Pub held a grand opening June 22 at 20 S. Buffalo St., Hamburg. A week later, the owners announced the business had closed. The book-themed pub, developed from a residential home, came from Maura Zalikowski and her husband, Andy.
• Yolo Restaurant & Lounge closed after 13 years at 5841 Transit Road in Amherst as owners Justin and Robert Bingel prepare for a new concept. The bar/restaurant is expected to reopen in August as the rebranded Duke’s Tavern. The closure follows a renovation three years ago. The pair also operate Two Nines on Wehrle Drive.
• The former Schwann’s Home Delivery – which rebranded as Yelloh in 2022 – shut down eight New York operations, including its Jamestown operation. The shutdown affected 10 local employees.
• The Dalmatia Hotel at 1187 Tonawanda St. by Riverside Park in Buffalo closed and will be replaced by Flavors of Jean, a soul food restaurant/bar from Chaniqua Davis that is moving after nearly two years at 192 Young St. in Tonawanda.
• Bogie’s Bar & Grill at 4414 Bailey Ave., Buffalo, is transitioning to new owners Chris Gullion and John Zeman of Saranac Lake Emporium LLC from owner Steve Calvaneso of Ultimate Restaurant Group. The new owners plan to keep things just as they are, other than shifting the name to Bogie’s Tavern.
• Doc Sullivan’s at 474 Abbott Road in Buffalo is transitioning to new ownership following the death of owner Tommy Cowan. His family, led by brother-in-law Patrick Lalley, will continue business at the bar/restaurant. Lalley, who is married to Cowan’s sister, is also a partner at the Blackthorn Restaurant & Pub.
• The former Armor Inn & Tap Room remains for sale, despite false rumors that Bar-Bill Tavern would be taking over the space. The closed restaurant at 5381 Abbott Road in Hamburg is now listed at $895,000.
• Britesmith Brewing is taking over the former Resurgence Brewing space at 1250 Niagara St. in Buffalo, where Twin Petrels closed late last year. Britesmith, founded by Schutte Hospitality Group on Main Street in Williamsville, is leasing close to 14,000 square feet at the building.
• Bagel Jar is expanding with a new site this fall at 9 E. Union St., Hamburg, where Haak’s Cakes is closing on Aug 1. The Southtowns bagel shop, owned by Morgan and John Popple, opened its first retail site in early 2023 at 6940 Erie Road in Derby at the Tops Plaza.
• Amira’s Kitchen is opening at 1500 Cleveland Drive in Cheektowaga, formerly the Bayou and Mr. Bills. The business, specializing in Middle Eastern cuisine, first opened two years ago at 894 Tonawanda St. in Buffalo by Amira Khalil and husband Salam Al-Mohammed.
• The Lincoln Boutique Motel and Pour Taproom are coming this fall to the former Telemark Hotel at 6089 Route 219 in Ellicottville across from Holiday Valley Resort. The restaurant previously operated as Slopeside and Cadillac Jack’s.
• Macy’s Place Pizzeria is expanding to 8885 Main St., Clarence, formerly home to Local Pizzeria and Catering. It’s the third site for owner Nick Argy and comes two years after the business opened at 3100 Delaware Ave. in Kenmore.
• Vibe in the Hollow is in development at 10440 Main St. in Clarence Hollow in the Tramont Building, taking over the Town & Country Gifts space. Chelsea Cleary is developing the café with her husband, Adam, and his developer business partner from Build WNY, Drew Bumpers. An early fall opening is expected.
• Scoops on Center is opening this summer at 465 Center St. in Lewiston next door to the Spicey Pickle at 463 Center St. According to the Lewiston-Porter Sentinel, both are owned by Aaron Rotella. Scoops on Center will feature products from Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream, a Michigan brand.
• The Como Restaurant & Lounge is planning an early July reopening at 2220 Pine Ave. in Niagara Falls under new owner Mohammed Ujjal Hossain, who paid $525,000 to buy the site from the Colucci and Antonacci families.
• Socotra Arabic Coffee House is planning two new Yemeni coffee cafes at 547 Elmwood Ave., where Cereal Spot closed in February and 5870 Main St. in Williamsville, where it will replace Amy’s Fine Jewelry. Owner Amin Almontaser also operates a site at 671 Ridge Road in Lackawanna.
• Qamaria Café is coming to 5363 Main St. in Williamsville, a franchise site for a Dearborn, Michigan-based chain, which is leasing space adjacent to the AltYou fitness center.
• Haraz Coffee House is opening a site at 471 Elmwood Ave., a Sinatra Development site built where Casa di Pizza once stood.
• Tropical Smoothie has signed a lease for a site at 3030 Niagara Falls Blvd. at Robinson Road, Tonawanda, in a Benderson Development plaza that includes Chipotle.
• If Music Be – Piano Salon and Café is coming to 315 Pennsylvania St. in Buffalo, a long-vacant former drugstore near Kleinhans Music Hall. First reported by Buffalo Rising, the business from Elise Alaimo will host lessons and offer gallery and performance space.
• Nothing Bundt Cakes is coming to Quaker Crossing at 3470 Amelia Drive in Orchard Park. This will be the second location in the region for the national dessert franchise, joining a location that opened last year at 1715 Niagara Falls Blvd. at Ridge Lea Road in Amherst.
• Cusimano’s Pizzeria is expanding to 3144 Orchard Park Road in Orchard Park, a plaza owned by Bevilacqua Development L.P. that also houses Kaylena Marie’s Bakery and Pita Gourmet. It’s the fourth location for the pizzeria owned by the Bitsas family and partner Marc Massaro.
• Linda’s Bean Pie Café plans to open in early July at 2516 Bailey Ave. in Buffalo. Owners Linda and Robert Muhammad, who previously operated from the Broadway Market, specialize in bean pies, as well as sweet potato pies and apple pies.
• Buffalo RiverWorks partner/developer Douglas Swift has sued Earl Ketry and other partners at Buffalo RiverWorks LLC, claiming breach of contract and unjust enrichment. The lawsuit alleged unauthorized changes in ownership interests and financial irregularities at the waterfront restaurant and event venue founded in 2013 at 359 Ganson St.
• Southern Junction BBQ’s Ryan Fernandez and Waxlight Bar a Vin in Buffalo both made it to the finalist level but were not named winners in the 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards from the James Beard Foundation.
• The Salty Chefs at 111 Genesee St. in Buffalo launched a crowdfunding campaign to help finance expanded grab-and-go offerings as well as more catering options. Owners David and Donna Viertel launched the business two years ago.
• Butter Meat Co. reopened in new space at 39 S. Main St. in Perry, moving from the site at 1 N. Main St., where it opened just before the pandemic. Founder Jill Gould also runs a café onsite that serves ice cream and coffee drinks.
• Douglas Development launched 1901 Hospitality to oversee sales and programming for its portfolio, including the Mansion on Delaware, the Richardson Hotel, the Hyatt Regency Buffalo and the Roycroft Inn and Restaurant in East Aurora.
• Hershey’s Ice Cream is hosting a citywide ice cream social during a four-hour period on July 11 at Lafayette Square in downtown Buffalo to raise $10,000 for FeedMore WNY. The Moose Tracks Ice Cream’s 10,000 Scoop Challenge will see the company donate $1 for every scoop served, beginning at 11 a.m.
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