BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — In the last week alone two popular businesses have announced plans to leave the Elmwood Village. It's clear that the celebrated neighborhood continues to evolve. Longtime staples are leaving, and new construction is setting the stage for new additions. So what's next for the Elmwood Village?
Campus Wheel Works says it wants to now focus on it's Niagara Street Location, while Thin Man Brewery says a slow rebound from the pandemic forced it's hand. The owners say they will now concentrate on the brewery's Chandler Street location.
Thin Man's building will join another vacant storefront on that same block. The old Casa Di Pizza has been fully renovated but currently sits idle.
7 News went to the Elmwood Village to speak to businesses, property owners and residents to get their thoughts on the current state of the neighborhood.
Alvin Marks - Store Manager - The Cellar
Alvin Marks is the store manager of The Cellar, a popular urban streetwear location at 448 Elmwood Avenue.
The Cellar has called the Elmwood Village home for close to 7 years including 3 years at it's current location.
"It was time to elevate and grow," says Marks about The Cellar's move to the West Utica block of Elmwood Avenue, "Really step out of our comfort zone and take our store to the next level."
"I feel like this side of Elmwood is definitely improving. We have us here. The Buffalo Kitchen Club, great restaurant across the street, then the Billionaire Creamery set up across the street, great ice cream, then I believe there is a new hair salon coming right across the street as well. It's definitely improving," said Marks.
"To me any vacancies actually help, those vacancies, more people move in. It helps bring more people to the block," Marks added.
Mark Gademsky - Elmwood Property Owner
"It's always been a great business district," Mark Gademsky tells 7 News, "We've had our ups and downs, there are a few vacancies but that is just cyclical, and maybe it's been more difficult the last few years to operate a small business."
Gademsky has been a property owner in the Elmwood Village for more than 40 years. His portfolio inclues 8 store fronts, office space and apartments at the corner of Elmwood and Hodge. Gademsky believes there is momentum in the neighborhood pointing to two new restaurants set to open on his property and new investment in the area. Cluck Cluck Moo Moo and Taqueria El Dorado are close to opening to customers.
"These are new businesses. I think both will do very well," said Gademsky, "There is a lot of people here, there is all levels of social economic groups. I think we will do just as well as any other section of Western New York."
Michelle Lemmo - Elmwood Village Resident
"There has been a lot of ups and downs throughout the years," said Michelle Lemmo, a resident in the Elmwood Village for the last 11 years, "It's a little slow moving. There are a lot of vacancies that we would like to see you know, pick up a little bit more, there seems to be more development, but nothing going into the developments.
Michelle Lemmo and her daughter Sloan love living in the Elmwood Village, but would like to see a few more options near Bryant Street.
"A little more family restaurants. There are a lot of breweries coming around, which are super cool and nice, but family stuff would be a little bit nicer," added Lemmo.
Terese Deutschliner - Board President Elmwood Village Association - Owner Thin Ice
"Today I think we are on a really good path," Terese Deutschliner, Board President of the Elmwood Village Association tells 7 News. "People love saying, 'oh there are always vacancies on Elmwood', they also love saying, 'it snows everyday in Western New York', which is simply not true."
Deutschlander has owned Thin Ice on Elmwood for 17 years. She says the loss of two local staples in Thin Man and Campus Wheelworks points to the evolution of the celebrated neighborhood and believes there are big things on tap for the area in the months to come.
"It's evolving in a really great way, we are in a really strong footing right now," said Deutschlander, "We are in a sense losing two businesses, two anchor businesses, but we are gaining more businesses that will grow and thrive and because the Elmwood Village is so strong, that is what enabled these businesses to open a second location and continue to to grow."
Real Estate Agent - Joe Jacobi
Real Estate Agents tell 7 News the Buffalo market is hot. Journalist Lia Lando spoke with commercial and residential real estate agents. Joe Jacobi of Donovan Real Estate says many of the vacancies you see along Elmwood Avenue are already spoken for. He says they are in the process of negotiating leases or waiting on building permits to move forward.
Jacobi says, "Generally, they take about 6 months to build out. We are definitely going to see a nice tenant mix of some restaurants, maybe a couple more bars. you're seeing a lot of salons pop up. You do have an ice cream shop right next to you. You are also going to have a high-end steak house coming to this building quit soon."Jacobi says they already have many tenants interested in Thin Man Brewery's space. He says landlords typically charge 20 to 30 dollars a square foot with a minimum five-year lease.\
Real Estate Agent - Robert Blake
Lia Lando also spoke with a second real estate agent about residential properties in the Elmwood village.
He says it's a popular place to live and the prices reflect that demand. Robert Blake is an associate broker with Hunt Real Estate. He says, "It's tough to find a place that's going to be under a thousand dollars these days. We are looking at rents north of 2-thousand dollars regularly...renting them out for 22-hundred, 23-hundred."
Blake says he's seen nothing but appreciation in the Buffalo Real Estate market and explains, "I've seen a lot of stories saying the market slowed down because interest rates have gone up a bit. We haven't felt it. I haven't personally been impacted by it nor has my team. We are still seeing lots of properties going into multiple offers. Prices are going up. We just sold one that was over 132 thousand over our ask price."
Blake says there are numerous reasons people want to live and do business in the Elmwood Village including walkability, festivals, access to shops, restaurants, the art world and the overall vibe.
