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Something's fishy about this downtown relay race

By Joanne Beck
Remote video URL
Video submitted by Steve Tufts

Eli Fish Brewing Company celebrated its sixth anniversary with a fun relay race, plenty of craft drinks and frozen fish this past weekend in downtown Batavia. The relay took runners around a block from Jackson Square onto School, Center and Jackson streets and back again to the Square, where a DJ was entertaining participants and spectators alike.

Billy Buckenmeyer's team won their heat in the event, and befitting of the Main Street establishment's name, real fish were used in place of the more traditional baton that passed from runner to runner for the relay. Each team received eight drink tokens and the winning team won a grand prize of four Mug Club memberships for the 2024 season.

eli fish fish relay
The lead runners set in their position at the start of the final fish race on Saturday, hosted by Eli Fish Brewing Company.  Steve Tufts asked Billy Buckenmeyer (center) if there was any race in Batavia he wasn't trying to win, and he replied, "No" with a proud look on his face.  His team would go on to win  their heat in the event.
Photo submitted by Steve Tufts.

Photos: A sunny FeBREWary evening in Downtown Batavia

By Howard B. Owens
batavia febrewary 2024

Several Downtown businesses were packed on Saturday evening with a parade of beer tasters who signed up for the Business Improvement District's annual FeBREWary events.

Photos by Howard Owens.

batavia febrewary 2024
batavia febrewary 2024
batavia febrewary 2024
batavia febrewary 2024
batavia febrewary 2024
batavia febrewary 2024
batavia febrewary 2024
batavia febrewary 2024

In the age of silver screens, Batavia residents had several options to go out for entertainment

By Anne Marie Starowitz
batavia dipson family theater
dipson movie poster union station

As baby boomers, the Mancuso and Dipson theaters were essential to our childhoods. 

A Saturday afternoon in the 50s and 60s would be spent at one of these theaters. If we took our pop bottles to your corner store and redeemed two cents for every bottle, you could save enough money to afford the .50 needed for admission to a movie.   

We first had to check the Legion of Decency, a list of films nailed to the back door of our Catholic Church stating what movies were appropriate for our ages.  Disney movies were at the top of the list of acceptable movies.   

In the 70s, I remember exactly where I sat when I saw "Jaws." I can still remember the fear I felt when the great white shark opened its jaws and the screams I heard in the theater, including mine.

Theaters in Batavia have a very early history. Imagine, in 1874, an Opera House on Main Street. It had seating for 1,000 with a stage that could be converted into a dance hall. A balcony and seating boxes on either side of the stage were reserved for courting couples. John Dellinger built the Dellinger Opera House, the center of local entertainment for over 50 years. Most people saw their first live performance on the stage at the Dellinger. Road companies stopped in Batavia regularly in the 1880s and 1890s. Amateur shows could be performed on this stage one day, and the next day, you could watch professional acting companies take the stage.

In 1900, a store on Jackson Street was the site for the first showing of motion pictures. Later, silent pictures were shown in Ellicott Hall on Court Street. To make the silent picture more exciting, sound effects such as train whistles, blank gunshots, and the noise of crashing cars were added.

early batavia theater

Batavia’s first theater was called the Lyric Theatre, located at 49 Main St. It had 36 seats fastened to the inclining floor. Other theaters, such as the Dreamland on Court Street and the Orpheum Theater at 122 Main St., were places to see “moving pictures.”

Two new moving picture theaters opened in 1913, the Grand at 72 Main St. and the Family Theatre on Jackson Street. The Grand could seat 584 patrons, and the Family Theatre could seat 600. A pianist or violinist could be heard while showing a moving picture, adding excitement to the movie.

A group of local businessmen financed the Family Theatre. It was considered to be one of the prettiest theaters in this area. The furnishings were from New York City and consisted of seats made of oak, 12 chandeliers, and a stage curtain that could be opened to show a stationary picture screen made of plaster.

Nikitas Dipson came to this country from Greece in 1909. He was interested in movie theaters, which began in 1913 when he lived in Jeanette, Pennsylvania, where he managed a small motion picture theater. He later moved to Batavia and managed The Family Theatre. 

In 1914, he temporarily bought the theater on Jackson Street until he could build a new modern theater on Main Street. He purchased two buildings at 36 and 38 Main St. They were not big enough for his new theater, so he closed the Family Theatre and moved the films, screen, and pianist to the Grand Theatre.

The New Family Theatre could seat 700 people and reopened in 1923 with a high domed ceiling lighted with radiant light and a 21-foot-deep and 43-foot wide stage. The orchestra seats were sitting from the other seats by a walnut rail. A console organ was in the pit, and a fireproof curtain could be lifted mechanically to the roof. The sides of the auditorium were decorated on either side with mural paintings.

The Lafayette Theatre, built just to show films, stood facing the Family Theatre for over 40 years. In 1947, the Lafayette Theatre, the property of Nikitas Dipson, closed. 

Nikitas Dipson finally could build his theater on 36 and 38 Main St. The theatre opened on April 17, 1947. The inner lobby was decorated with mural paintings depicting scenes from Genesee County’s early history. Floral designs covered the walls. After the house lights went out, the floral lights would glow softly for a few moments. This air-conditioned theater could seat 1,400. This theater would alternate with the Mancuso Theatre, housing the graduation exercises from Batavia High School and later Notre Dame High School. Dipson’s beautiful theater eventually fell victim to Urban Renewal in 1973.

Mancuso brothers decided to build a theater at 212 East Main St. It opened on June 4, 1948. The theater was as large as Dipson’s and advertised as modern as any theater in the country with “power enough to light a city.”  It had excellent acoustics because of the construction of the walls and ceiling. The side walls were decorated with flat sculptured figures. It was considered at that time to be one of the most satisfactory little theaters outside New York City. On opening night, 1,600 people filled every seat for the showing of "The Emperor’s Waltz." Today, that theater saved from the wrecking ball is currently the home of City Church. 

new family theater batavia

Nikitas Dipson dominated the motion picture business for 40 years, owning or operating all the motion picture theaters in the county at one time or another, including the two drive-in theaters on East Main Street Road and Clinton Street. Under an arrangement with the Mancuso Brothers, he ran the Mancuso Theatre, the Dipson Theatre, and the Family Theatre. Eventually, the two main theaters were ultimately divided into Cinema I and II. 

In mid-1979, William Dipson and Mancuso Brothers asked the McWethy Construction Company to build two mini theaters on the northwest corner of the mall. The theaters opened in 1980 as Mall I and Mall II. After 33 years, the theater closed. 

Over the years, Batavia has lost many buildings and businesses.   In June 2013, Ken Mistler, a local businessman who owned several downtown businesses, purchased Mall I and Mall II Movie Theater. He remodeled the Batavia Show Time Theater and showed first-run movies for many years. He's currently renovating the theaters into a new entertainment venue.

It seems sad that all we have left from these beautiful historical buildings are memories and pictures from old postcards and newspaper clippings. 

Photos courtesy Genesee County History Department.

mancuso theater batavia

Reflections of healthy living in downtown Batavia

By Joanne Beck
batavia healthy living center
Photo by Howard Owens

Rows of glass windows are being installed as part of what officials have described as the open-air feel of the new Healthy Living building in downtown Batavia.

The site that will merge Healthy Living programs with YMCA received some hoopla in a beam-signing celebration at the end of November, and crews have been working towards sealing up the exterior in preparation for inside work on the 78,000-square-foot facility.

Once completed, there will be a children’s Adventure Room, indoor playground, intergenerational room filled with interactive games, a large upstairs track, a swimming pool equipped with underwater benches for swim lessons, a splash pad, and wheelchair and walk-in access.

There will also be universal pre-kindergarten, morning daycare, and after-school classrooms, plus supervised childcare with options, expanded hours, and universal standards to bring everything to beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act code, officials have said. 

The medical and wellness facility is to include state-of-the-art exercise equipment, a teaching kitchen, 22 exam rooms and two medical procedure rooms for primary care, telemedicine appointments, behavioral health and crisis intervention support, cancer prevention, chronic illness, and community education services. 

The new campus is to be completed by sometime this fall.

BID invites residents to Christmas in the City on Saturday

By Press Release
CHristmas in the City 2021
Christmas in the City parade in 2021.
Photo by Howard Owens.

Press release:

Join us in the holiday spirit at the annual Christmas in the City celebration on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 2 to 6 p.m. with the Downtown Holiday Parade starting at 6 p.m.

Christmas in the City activities include pictures with Santa, holiday crafts, cookie decorating, chili, hot cocoa, face painting, sleigh rides, family portraits and more! Several downtown businesses will be offering activities, crafts, and in-store specials. For a full listing of activities, go to www.bataviabid.com.

The parade begins promptly at 6 p.m. at Wendy's and makes its way down Main Street east toward Liberty/Summit Streets. 

Join us in our scavenger bunt bingo throughout Downtown, exploring and and supporting our small businesses. Bingo begins at Iburi Photography at 35 Jackson St. and ends at GO ART!, 201 East Main St. There are 22 business bingo stops. 

For more information on Christmas in the City, see The Batavian's previous story: Snow is here, December is coming, it must be time for Christmas in the City

Before Urban Renewal: My Downtown Batavia favorites

By David Reilly
old downtown batavia

Since 2018 I have been writing nostalgic stories for The Batavian about growing up in Batavia, New York, in the 1950s and 1960s. In some of those stories, I made mention of some of the businesses that were located in what we always called “Downtown.” 

Due to “urban renewal” in the 1970s, most of these establishments and their buildings no longer exist. 

Recently a reprint in The Batavian of the last chapter of Anne Marie Starowitz's book “Back In the Day” made mention of a lot of these places, and it got me thinking about my experiences in some of them. As a young boy and a teen, I had no reason to go into a hat shop, a paint store or a furrier. But I certainly patronized the two movie theaters that we had. As a teenager, I did a lot of hanging out at Kustas Kandies and, to a lesser extent, Critic's Restaurant, and I got a lot of my clothes at McAlpine-Barton Clothiers (the owners were next-door neighbors of my grandparents on North Lyon Street).

old downtown batavia
old downtown batavia

Time-Honored Theaters
Our two movie theaters were The Dipson Batavia on the northwest side of Main Street between the Post Office and State Street and The Mancuso Theater on the southeast side of Main between Center and Liberty Streets. I would say that despite the two theaters being in competition, both were well attended, depending on what movies were being shown. Prices were certainly reasonable with a lot of movies (we called it “going to the show”) being $1 and even less for kids.

It's odd how memory works, but I really can't recall exact details about either theater. Mancuso's seemed to be a little fancier and, later on in the 70s split into twin theaters so they could show two movies instead of one. 

My younger brother (by 11 years) Jim's first job was as an usher at Mancuso's and he certainly has some stories to tell. I do remember a young usher at Dipson's named Lester who took his job very seriously. Unfortunately, we kids weren't very nice to him and often gave him a hard time.

I know that I must have seen the big blockbusters of that time like “Ben Hur” and “The Longest Day,” but I cannot remember specifics (of course, I have watched them on TV since), like who I was with or what theater I saw them at. I do recall that most movies, especially the kid ones were preceded by cartoons. I assume we got popcorn, but I think oftentimes we brought our own candy in our pockets. We'd stop at Corrigan's or some other mom-and-pop grocery first and stock up. 

I don't remember if we bought drinks, but I'm sure they didn't cost $5 or $6 like they do now. 

My brother still works in the theater business and he will certify that way more money is made on concessions than tickets. I don't know if that was the case 50 or 60 years ago, but we didn't contribute much to the concession intake at all.

old downtown batavia

I'm pretty sure that it was not the norm for 10-year-olds to go to the movies alone, but I distinctly recall being dropped off at Mancuso's in 1957 for a movie called “Heaven Knows Mr. Allison.” War movies were my favorites then (I never did serve in the military, though) and that's probably what attracted me to it. It starred Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr as a “salty” Marine and a nun who were randomly stranded on a Pacific island during World War II. When the Japanese came and set up an outpost, the two of them had to hide out in a cave. Mr. Allison, as the Sister called him, fell in love with the nun, but of course, she told him that her life was committed to God and a relationship with the Marine could never be. Corporal Allison eventually disabled some Japanese artillery to enable an American landing on the island, and the two were rescued and went their separate ways. Deborah Kerr was nominated for an Oscar for her performance. 

Why do I so vividly recall going to this movie and not other bigger, splashier ones? That's the conundrum of memory, I guess.

One thing for sure about going to the movies back then was that if you really wanted to watch the movie, you should not sit toward the rear, Those rows were populated by teenagers who were there only to take advantage of the warm, dry theater to “make out” or “neck” (those are some funny descriptive terms aren't they? ). I was certainly no ladies' man, but I can remember coming out of some movies and having no idea what film I had even attended. I specifically recall one time when I told my parents I was at a friend's house when I was at Mancuso's with a girl instead. When I didn't come home on time, my mom called the friend's mom, and of course, I was in trouble for lying. It was surely embarrassing (and still is if I think about it) to try to explain to my mom why my lips were swollen. 

Teenagers.

Both theaters were occasionally used for music, but Batavia was certainly no usual stop on entertainers' tour agendas. Much to my delight, though, in June 1964 just before I graduated from Notre Dame, Mancuso's hosted a pretty big-time show -- my first rock and roll concert. 

old downtown batavia

Like most teens at that time, I was all in on the “British Invasion.” The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Dave Clark Five, Gerry and The Pacemakers (did Gerry have a heart condition? ) and more were all over Top 40 radio. WKBW from Buffalo was the local station of choice with DJs Joey Reynolds, Tommy Shannon, and Danny Neaverth. So when I heard that The Searchers, with their big hits “Needles and Pins and “Love Potion Number #9,” were going to headline a show in our little town, I was ecstatic.

It was almost 60 years ago, so I don't remember too many details of the show. Danny Nevearth was the emcee. There were five bands on the bill and two shows at 6:30 and 9:15 ( I don't recall which one I went to) so the opening acts must have only been able to play a few songs. I can't recall anything about the first two acts: Ronnie Cochran and Ronnie Dio and the Prophets. Ronnie Dio was 21 at the time of the Mancuso show and grew up in Cortland. He later went on to be the lead singer of Black Sabbath, taking Ozzie Osborn's place. Many consider him to be the best “Heavy Metal” singer of all time.

The third band was The Dovells, a dance band from Philadelphia. Their lead singer was Len Barry who went on to later have a big hit with”1-2-3”. They performed their choreographed song “Bristol Stomp,” and another dance tune called “Do The Continental,” which many years later showed up in the John Waters movie “Hairspray." They were followed by Dick and Dee Dee, whose popular hit was “Mountain High”. The only thing I recall about them was that I was shocked to find out that Dick was the one with the high falsetto voice and Dee Dee sang the lower range.

The Searchers did not disappoint, playing their two hits I mentioned earlier along with a set of other tunes that were hard to hear over the screaming teenage Batavia girls. My first big rock and roll show started me on the road to many, many more as I went on to college and through life. Going to see live music is still my favorite thing to do. 

Thanks Mancuso's.

old downtown batavia

Teen Hangouts
A big venue in the lives of most teens in the '50s and '60s was the local “soda shoppe.” For my friends and me (and many others of our age) it was Kustas Kandies on the north side of Main Street. Mrs. Kustas, who held down the counter and table area, was well-liked by all the kids and hired a number of them to work there, too, including a couple of my classmates, Mike Palloni and Madonna Mooney. She was pretty tolerant of teens hanging out there as long as you bought something and didn't get too rowdy. Most of my meager funds were spent on Cherry Cokes and French Fries, but if I happened to have a little extra cash, Kustas had delicious cheeseburgers in the style of McDonald's Big Mac or Carroll's Club burger. Like many restaurants of the time, there was a jukebox at every table, and we fed them coins to play all our favorite tunes. I'd bet The Rolling Stones' “Satisfaction” was #1 in the rotation. Hey, hey, hey, that's what I say.

Across Main Street and slightly to the west was Critics, formerly The Sugar Bowl. Critics was more of a pre- or post-date restaurant, though. Mr. Critic (real name Ernest Criticos who, after urban renewal, relocated his restaurant to Greece Town Mall outside Rochester) did not brook any nonsense from teens. He wanted to appeal to a more adult crowd, and if teens hung around longer than 30 or 40 minutes, especially without buying a meal, out you went. It was just a little fancier than Kustas, though, so if you wanted to impress a girl before or after a date ( a movie, let's say), you would take her there. It wasn't a soda shop, but into the 60s, another date spot was Your Host Restaurant in the East End Plaza, but not downtown. You probably needed a car to get your girl to Your Host.

Classy Clothiers
It's hard to believe, but in a small city of about 18,000 people, there were three men's clothing stores (not counting JCPenney) in downtown Batavia. There was Beardsley's, Charles Men's Shop, and McAlpine Barton's. 

I really don't recall ever buying anything at Beardsley's, and I have no idea why not. I'm pretty sure that when I was a student at St. Mary's Elementary School from first to eighth grade, we bought our school uniforms from Charles Men's Shop. For the boys, they consisted of light blue shirts, dark blue pants, and a dark blue clip-on bow tie. Probably Charles had a deal with the school. 

My mom would buy two pairs of pants for the year, and they would take a beating, so multiple sewing repairs were required. I wouldn't even want to guess how many bow ties I probably lost in 8 years. At Notre Dame High, those of us who earned them got our letter sweaters at Charles, too, again probably a deal between the school and the store. Other than those things, I don't recall frequenting that haberdashery very often.

When my grandparents, Anna and Henry (Henrik) Newhouse, moved to Batavia from Brooklyn (after emigrating from Denmark) in the 1920s, they bought a house at 25 North Lyon Street. There they raised my mother and three other children. Grampa was a tool and die maker at Doehler-Jarvis, which is why they moved here. My two uncles, Walter and Robert (who is the last family member of his generation at age 93) followed their dad's career path and became tool and die makers also. Their neighbors at 23 North Lyon were the Bartons of McAlpine – Barton Clothing store. It was originally McAlpine-Brumsted, but the Bartons bought out Brumsted and the business carried on. So, the reason why we patronized that store is because the Bartons were neighbors and friends of my mother's family.

The store was located on the south side of Main Street on the corner of Center Street (ironically, Charles Men's Shop, McAlpine's competitor for many years, is still in business and now occupies that building). LaRay Barton and his son Charlie ran the business, and LaRay's wife Eva took care of the office. My mom, Anna Newhouse Reilly, worked in the office for a number of years, too before going on to become the office manager for William Dipson of the aforementioned Dipson Theaters. Another long-time salesperson that I recall was Fred Darch.

old downtown batavia

McAlpine-Barton's had two floors for clothes shopping, the main floor and the basement. The offices were on the second floor. The main floor had two parts: the main room, which was for suits, sport coats, and slacks, as they referred to dress pants. Then there was a side room for what they called “leisure wear”. This would be sweaters, dressier polo shirts, and so on. The basement, where I got most of my clothes, was more for teenage or younger people's clothes like t-shirts and jeans, which they called “dungarees”. It wasn't like most of the places you go to get clothes now, though, where you pretty much wait on yourself unless you ask for help. There was always a salesman with you and assisting you.

I do have fond memories of McAlpine–Barton's, mostly because all the salesmen were friendly and willing to help you find what you were looking for and ensure a good fit. (note: I honestly do not recall any female salespeople at Barton's. It was probably a combination of it being a men's store and the chauvinism of that era. Also, later on, the family opened The Pendleton Store for women's clothes, managed by Charlie, and they had all female salespeople). Of course, my brothers and I got extra good treatment at McAlpine-Barton since LaRay and Charlie knew our family.

I moved to the Rochester area after graduating from St. John Fisher College there in 1969, so I wasn't living in Batavia for the Urban Renewal, which took place in the 1970s resulting in the demolishing of most of the downtown buildings. Dipson Theater, Kustas Kandies and Critics are long gone. Mancuso Theater still stands but is now a church. Finally, as I mentioned previously, the building that housed McAlpine-Barton is now home to the still-in-business Charles Men's Shop.

From following a couple of Facebook pages devoted to remembering the Batavia of old I realize that there are a substantial number of people who lived through the tearing down of a majority of downtown buildings who are still grieving and angry about it. Their feelings are that Batavia as they knew it was ruined forever. Nonetheless, even though the population of the seat of Genesee County has declined by about 5,000 since the '50s and '60s, it is still a city, and a number of its citizens are still trying to make it a viable and valued place to live.

For those of us who grew up in Batavia, New York, back then and are still living, we have our photographs, paintings and especially our memories that can remind us of the way things used to be.

Dipson Theater Painting by Pat Burr.
All other images courtesy of Genesee County History Department.

O'Lacy's closes, owner thanks patrons and staff with 'heavy heart'

By Joanne Beck
O'Lacy's Irish Pub
O'Lacy's Irish Pub is now closed.
Photo by Howard Owens

It was with a "heavy heart" that owner Roger Christiano closed O'Lacy's on School Street in Batavia Wednesday, 18 months after he took over the popular Irish pub in 2022 from former owner Kent Ewell.

Christiano posted a letter on the door of the site that explained:

It’s with a heavy heart that I announce that I will be stepping away from O’Lacy’s Irish Pub and closing the business effective today.

My wife’s declining health has left me unable to spend the time, resources, and energy that O’Lacy’s customers and staff deserve. While it saddens me to leave, I must put my family first and focus on my wife’s long-term care.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you. It’s been a pleasure meeting so many wonderful patrons over the past 18 months. Hopefully the business will reopen under different ownership in the future.

A special thank you to Kent Breslin and the O’Lacy’s staff for all their time and dedication to this very special establishment. 

With gratitude, Roger Christiano

Ewell owned and operated O'Lacy's for more than 25 years before he bid his farewell to patrons. 

Remembering Main Street

By Anne Marie Starowitz
pat burr old downtown batavia paintings

I was looking at our collection of Pat Burr’s drawings of old Batavia in the 60s and was amazed at all the stores that dotted Main Street. You really could walk down the street and, beginning at one end, mail a letter, buy a car, smoke a cigar, look for a gold watch, buy plumbing supplies, pick up your dry cleaning, buy paint, order a drink, have your picture taken, see a movie, eat a doughnut, have your shoes repaired or buy a new pair of shoes. 

If it was afternoon, you could have a drink, buy a sewing machine, smell the delicious aroma of freshly baked bread, pick up a prescription, buy a wedding gown, buy new shoes to go with the dress, order a man’s suit for the wedding, buy children’s clothing (you might need another drink after the cost of the wedding gown), have your eyes checked, purchase new furniture, drink a cherry Coke, register for new china, and have a late lunch. 

Continuing west on Main Street, you could make a bank withdrawal for the wedding, buy more jewelry, possibly a wedding band, pick up some fresh produce, purchase a new hat and a real mink coat, pick up another prescription, and buy more jewelry.

Now, see if you can match the names of these establishments and their merchandise with their locations on Main Street going east from Jefferson to Bank Street. 

In the 60s, on the north side of the street, there was Mancuso’s Dealership, Chris’ Gifts, The Smoke Shop, William Maney’s Store, Marchese’s Produce, and six jewelry stores, Krtanik, Martin Berman’s, Valle’s, Francis and Mead, Rudolph’s and Brenner’s. Clothing stores were plentiful: Alexander’s, Town Shop, Helen’s Darlings, A.M. and M. Clothiers, and Smart Shop. Bon Ton and Bell Hat Shops, Humboldt’s Furriers, and Charles Men Shop were also located on that side of the street, along with the beautiful Dipson Theater. 

There were two paint stores, Mosman’s and Sherwin Williams. There were many restaurants and drinking establishments: Mooney’s, Hamilton Hotel, Young’s Restaurant, Mike’s Hotel, Main Grill, Vic’s Grill, The Dagwood Restaurant, and Jackie’s Donuts. A favorite bakery was Grundler’s. A soda shop and candy store was called Kustas’. The furniture store was Bern Furniture, and the dry cleaner store was Jet Cleaners. Lawing Picture Studio, Singer Sewing, Genesee Hardware, Western Auto, and the drug stores of Whelan and Dean Drugs were located on different corners. There were four shoe stores: Ritchlin, Cultrara’s, Endicott and Johnson, and C.E. Knox. The shoe repair was called Boston Shoe Repair. 

How many of you could match the store with its location?

If you were traveling down the opposite side of the street, you would begin with the Court House and pass the County Building, where a beautiful Christmas tree would be on the lawn. Eventually, you would hope to have a deed to your new home filed at the clerk’s office. You couldn’t miss the Hotel Richmond on the corner that was now just an empty shell. Located within the building of the hotel was Rapid Dry Cleaners. Next was the three-story JC Penney Department Store. 

If you needed a uniform, The Uniform Shop was at your disposal. Kinney’s Family Shoe Store was located next to the Camera Shop. Caito’s Liquor Store was followed by Beardsley’s Men’s Store, Sleght’s Book Store, Bank of Batavia, Sugar Bowl, SS Kresge’s, Scott and Bean, Dean’s Drug, M & T Bank, Thomas and Dwyer, C.L. Carr’s Department Store, Marchese Produce, Good Friend Shop, Rudolph’s Jewelers, JJ. Newberry’s and WT Grant. 

Imagining all these stores decorated for the holidays makes you nostalgic for the simpler times and slower pace when the highlight of your week was going to the city on a Friday night to meet friends and shop! 

Thank you, Urban Renewal, for taking our Main Street. But you couldn’t remove our memories. Thank you, Pat Burr, the artist, for preserving Main Street with your beautiful artwork, that we are lucky to have your entire collection. 

Main Street lives on in our hearts. 

Photos by Pat Burr paintings of old Batavia taken in 2010 by Howard Owens at the Genesee County Nursing Home.

pat burr old downtown batavia paintings
pat burr old downtown batavia paintings
pat burr old downtown batavia paintings

Photos: Saturday's Downtown trick or treat

By Howard B. Owens
DOWNTOWN trick or treat 2023

Trick-or-treaters were able to visit 28 Downtown businesses on Saturday in an event organized by Michael Marsh of Edward Jones, and  all participating businesses purchased their own candy.

Photos by Howard Owens

DOWNTOWN trick or treat 2023

 

DOWNTOWN trick or treat 2023
DOWNTOWN trick or treat 2023
DOWNTOWN trick or treat 2023
DOWNTOWN trick or treat 2023
DOWNTOWN trick or treat 2023

Downtown trick-or-treat back again on Saturday

By Howard B. Owens

Last year's successful Downtown trick-or-treat is returning to the business district again on Saturday.

Organized by Michael Marsh of Edward Jones and sponsored by YNGodess, this is the second year in a row that children have been invited to get into their Halloween costumes and visit participating local businesses for tricks or treats (probably treats).

The event runs from 1 to 3 p.m.

Trick-or-Treat Stops:

  • Edward Jones
  • Adam Miller Toy & Bicycle
  • YNGodess
  • My Cut Barbershop
  • Valle Jewelers
  • HUNT Real Estate ERA
  • Creamy Creation
  • GOArt!
  • Eli Fish Brewing Company
  • Center Street Smokehouse
  • Bourbon & Burger Co.
  • Charles Men's Shop
  • The Coffee Press
  • Cinquino's Pizza
  • Eden Café
  • Roman's
  • Geico Batavia – Zachary Korzelius
  • The Spa at Artemis
  • Iburi Photography
  • Batavia Bootery
  • WBTA Radio
  • Main St Pizza Company
  • O'Lacy's Irish Pub
  • Foxprowl Collectables

The following are in/around the City Centre:

  • Main St 56 Theater – City Centre
  • Releve Dancewear Boutique – City Centre
  • LeBeau Salon – City Centre
  • Everybody Eats – City Centre

Remember to Trick or Treat responsibly, organizers remind families.

Carrying on a tradition of strong business with renovation that connects to city's past

By Joanne Beck
Casey Delplato Law Office
Photo by Howard Owens

This week’s open house of the DelPlato Casey Law Firm was an exciting mix of longtime planning, contemporary architecture, embedded history and future growth, as attorney Peter Casey welcomed dozens of well-wishers to the elaborate, upscale space in Downtown Batavia.

For those longtime locals who had seen the space at 73 Main St. before it was occupied by Alberty’s Drug Store, Thursday brought some nostalgia back with a central staircase that led down to a break room that once upon a time was the ground level of Sleght’s Book Store. 

Sleght’s book and stationery store was part of downtown from 1907 to 1999, housed for 20 years at the Genesee Country Mall until 1975 when it moved across the street to 70 Main St. 

This blond wooden staircase is definitely a focal point, with a geometric light fixture of squares overlapping with one another hanging over top of the backlit handrails. A great deal of attention was paid to lighting, from the series of black cylindrical hanging lights at the entrance to the subtle wall sconces juxtaposed with more utilitarian long tube lights over workspaces.

“Specifically, as many people who are from the area know, this was the home to Sleght’s Book Store for many, many years. You'll remember the stairs, it did go down a little bit smaller than these ones here. And then afterward, the Alberty Drug Store occupied this space for 20-30 years at least. I wanted to thank Greg Gluck … and his parents ran Alberty’s Drug Store. They were kind enough to entrust this building to us, and I thank Greg for allowing us that opportunity,” Casey said. “As for the work that we've done here, there's a few things to kind of know that we think are pretty cool.”

Some of those things include the names of the conference rooms, each one with a theme, including the W. Douglas, after Doug Call, who was a partner with Mike DelPlato when at the office next door for many years — and “among many other talents, for anybody that knew Doug, he was a woodworker, and he built the table that’s in the conference room,” Casey said. 

“He was a good man, an excellent attorney, and he was a minister and a sheriff. So we know where he is now,” he joked. “He was a great mentor to me and many other lawyers in the community. So we want to honor his legacy here forever. He also hired my mom Mary Kay, to be his secretary. So, I guess I kind of owe him for getting me the job.”

The site also has an Oakfield Room, since the firm serves so many clients from the Oakfield area, and a City Conference Room in front along Main Street, which doesn’t need much explaining, he said.

“But we’re really proud to be here in downtown. We’ve got a great city view out there,” he said. “The pictures, you’ll see the photos hanging up primarily in the conference rooms, as well as out here. Those were Howard Owens’ originals. And those are just stunning photos, we’re so happy that you were able to help us with those.”

There were plenty of nods to go around, from Ray Cianfrini and his law firm, which partnered with DelPlato and Casey in 2015, David Ciurzynski Consulting, which was instrumental in getting the project off the ground over the course of three years, David Schoell, the architect who assisted with the staircase and light fixtures, Thompson Builds as general contractor, Tompkins Bank, the Small Business Administration, Batavia Development Corporation and the City of Batavia.

“So none of this happens, not a swing of a hammer, a piece of drywall, none of this happens without, honestly, without you people, without our friends and our clients. And, you know, I'd like to just give you all a round of applause,” Casey said, pausing to clap for the rooms filled with attendees. “I really do believe that, and I know I speak for my staff when I say this, that, you know, we get to know you initially as lawyer and client. But you've become our friends. At least, we think so. And you're here tonight. So we mean that from the bottom of our hearts. I remember Mike saying that when I first started out as an attorney, you know how elated he is just to be able to help his friends. And, you know, this project, in part, was to be able to better serve you and be more accessible. So we're so happy to be here to be able to continue to serve you for a long time.”

He thanked DelPlato for his partnership especially given “as great of a lawyer as he is, as wonderful as a legal career as he’s enjoyed, he’s an even better person.”

“I could not have been more fortunate to be able to learn from such a patient, understanding and kind human being,” Casey said, then referring to his former partner and his mom Mary Kay. “They both retired in the last couple of years. And you know, due to COVID and then not wanting to admit that they retired, we never had a party. So here we are … cheers to Mike and Mary Kay for a happy, healthy retirement.”

He also thanked his mom for her help and support over the years and pointed to the three other women who help with firm operations -- paralegal Karen Vallese, legal secretary Kathy Grayson and secretary Michelle Clattenburg.

Grayson came on board two years into the planning stages of the renovation, so floor plans had been drawn up and she was hearing about what was to come. 

The finished result did not disappoint.

“I love the office, it’s beautiful, it’s modern … it’s so inviting,” she said. “It was comfortable and cozy, but he kind of outgrew the space. And being upstairs, some clients had a problem with the stairs. This is more accessible being downstairs.” 

Casey was one of the city property owners who qualified for money through BDC’s revolving loan fund that can be used for loans and/or grants. Casey’s renovation qualified for a $20,000 grant. BDC Director Tammy Hathaway said that she doesn’t look at the funds going to people as much as being invested into the properties themselves.

“It’s the injection into the actual building stock that we have. Beyond Peter Casey and Mike DelPlato, whoever's going to own this building, we're still going to experience it. So we want to make sure that we're extending the longevity and the life of these buildings in our community,” Hathaway said. “This building alone, as many of them in our downtown, have history. There are so many people out there right now that are attending that remember when it was Sleght’s, they remember when that staircase was open. So to see it come back into life, what was it going to be if Alberty Drug Store wasn't here? Well now we know. Somebody was going to be here. And what a fabulous renovation for all of us to experience.”

Casey Delplato Law Office
Peter Casey
Photo by Howard Owens
Casey Delplato Law Office
Photo by Howard Owens
Casey Delplato Law Office
Photo by Howard Owens
Casey Delplato Law Office
Photo by Howard Owens
Casey Delplato Law Office
Photo by Howard Owens
Casey Delplato Law Office
Photo by Howard Owens
Casey Delplato Law Office
Photo by Howard Owens

Everybody can eat at new Batavia site in a month or two, owner says

By Joanne Beck
Zeke Lynn

He’s caused some excitement with a post online about his future business moving into Batavia City Centre, however, Zeke Lynn won’t be in moving in just yet, he says.

Everybody will get a chance to eat at Everybody Eats probably by the end of September or early October, Lynn said Monday to The Batavian. He is renting the site at 29 Batavia City Centre — the space with the checkerboard black-and-white floor once known as Cookies and Milk and other cafe operations.

“I’m hoping to be open within a month or two, I’ll be in there cleaning and I’ve got to get a few appliances, and a health permit,” he said.

When asked what the tagline of his place would be, the name says it all, he said. He plans to make it for mostly catering and take-out, for sandwiches, soups, salads, pastas, steak, and a few chicken dishes. The key is that there will be “things you don’t see around Batavia,” he said.

Think: Beef Wellington and butter chicken. Who is the chef behind the apron? A 2014 Batavia High School grad who began his cooking journey at as a kid, and never stopped.

“I really fell in love with cooking,” he said. 

He studied a bit at Brockport State College and worked at restaurants, where he “fell in love with it.”

“I’ve been cooking since I was five, I learned from my mom. I’ve always had a passion for it,” the 26-year-old said. “This is really a passion project more than anything.”

He would like to establish a cooking class at least once a week after he opens and is thinking of having wine and beer at some point for a tastings and pairings experience.

Photos: Songbirds pack Jackson Square for Friday night show

By Howard B. Owens
songbirds in jackson square
Christian Hehr, on lead guitar, performs with Songbirds in Jackson Square, Downtown Batavia, on Friday night.
Photo by Howard Owens.

A larger-than-typical crowd jammed into Jackson Square on Friday night to catch Fleetwood Mac tribute band Songbirds perform the legendary band's best-known songs.

The five-piece band formed in 2020 comprises musicians from Genesee County and the immediate area and has been growing in popularity throughout Western New York.

Band members are:

  • Dave Cocuzzi - Drums 
  • Jeffrey Fischer - Bass/Keys/Vocals
  • Christian Hehr - Guitar/Vocals
  • Maryssa Peirick - Keys/Vocals 
  • Julia Riley - Vocals/Aux Percussion/Ukulele 

Previously: It's more than just ‘Rumours’ that Songbirds pay tribute to Fleetwood Mac

songbirds in jackson square
Songbirds, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, performs in Jackson Square on Friday night.
Photo by Howard Owens.

 

songbirds in jackson square
Singer Julia Riley.
Photo by Howard Owens.
songbirds in jackson square
Photo by Howard Owens.
songbirds in jackson square
Photo by Howard Owens.
songbirds in jackson square
Maryssa Peirick, keyboards and vocals.
Photo by Howard Owens.
songbirds in jackson square
Jeffrey Fischer on bass.
Photo by Howard Owens.
songbirds in jackson square
Dave Cocuzzi on drums.
Photo by Howard Owens.
songbirds in jackson square
Photo by Howard Owens.
songbirds in jackson square
Photo by Howard Owens.

Bank Street pop-up to debut August 18 in downtown Batavia

By Joanne Beck

Press Release:

In collaboration with community partners, Genesee County and the City of Batavia are thrilled to announce the upcoming “Bank Street Pop-Up Demonstration”, an event that aims to collect valuable public feedback to improve the look of the street and make the community more walkable. It will take place on Friday, August 18, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a rain date set for Monday, August 21. 

The demonstration will be located between Main Street and Washington Avenue in Batavia. The demonstration is an outcome of the Active People, Healthy Nation Walkability Virtual Academy, in which Genesee County was selected as one of the teams from across the nation to participate. The primary focus was on creating safer and more accessible pedestrian, bicycle, and transit transportation networks for people of all ages, races, ethnicities, incomes, backgrounds, abilities, and disabilities.

The Pop-Up Demonstration aims to engage the public and receive their valuable input on various aspects of street and landscape design, crosswalk placements, and overall mobility in the area. During the event, teams will gather insights from the community, allowing more informed decisions that align with the needs and preferences of the residents.

"We are hoping that the public will come out on Friday the 18th and check out the design and provide us their thoughts about what they see," said Diana Fox, Director of the Genesee County Office For The Aging. “Community feedback is crucial to creating a neighborhood that fosters active and healthy living.”

The City will temporarily close parts of the street to traffic from 7 a.m.-9 a.m. on August 18 in preparation for the event. Artists from GO ART! will paint vibrant and attractive crosswalks, and Batavia Turf has contributed turf that will enhance the visual appeal of the space.

This initiative represents another significant step towards building a community that prioritizes the well- being of its residents and visitors, promoting physical activity and ensuring that streets are safe and accessible for all.

Brother and sister team expand photography business with new Downtown studio

By Jazmyne Boozer
iburi photography
Shin Iburi and Akari Lewis-Iburi, the brother and sister duo behind Iburi Photography, now located at 35 Jackson Street in Batavia.
Photo by Howard Owens.

Akari Lewis-Iburi and Shin Iburi are mixing a keen eye for light and shadow and composition to capture the special moments and occasions of area families and couples.

Their success so far has made it possible for the brother and sister team to open a photography studio in Downtown Batavia.

They've been working together as photographers for more than a decade.

Akari Lewis-Iburi was always interested in photography, she said. She took her first photojournalism class in high school and continued photography as a hobby into college. 

It wasn’t until deep into her college career that her brother asked her to go photograph a wedding for the first time. 

“It was the summer of my senior year in college,” Akari recalled. “I was an English major, but I actually wanted to be a journalist. I was really interested in photojournalism. My brother got asked to shoot a wedding, and that was our first wedding together. From there, it kind of snowballed.” 

The pair now owns and operates a photography studio that specializes in weddings, engagements, senior photos, family photos and maternity shoots. Pulling from her journalistic roots, both Akari Lewis-Iburi and Shin Iburi mix the art of being a wallflower and staging engaging photos. Customers can expect to receive images that feel both beautiful and natural. 

Since moving into the new, larger studio space, the siblings hope to install a projector screen within the studio. The pair believes that it will help the couples reminisce about their wedding day in a new way. 

“I want them to feel what they felt on their wedding day,” Akari said. “I want them to look back on that moment and feel those feelings again. It’ll be a nice closure to our working relationship.” 

Akari also plans to make her new studio space a place for communal gatherings. Since experiencing live music has also been one of her passions, she foresees the studio place to host live music nights showcasing local bands and open mic nights. 

“When I was a kid growing up here, there was this cool coffee shop on main street,” she said. “I just want to give a space for original music.”

Iburi Photography is located at 35 Jackson St. in Batavia.

iburi photography
Photo by Howard Owens.
iburi photography
Photo by Howard Owens.
iburi photography
Photo by Howard Owens.
iburi photography
Photo by Howard Owens.
iburi photography
Photo by Howard Owens.
iburi photography
Photo by Howard Owens.
iburi photography
Photo by Howard Owens.
iburi photography
Iburi Photography, located at 35 Jackon St., Batavia.
Photo by Howard Owens.

After thunder roars, Ramble rolls on with bands schedule to hit two stages into evening

By Howard B. Owens
ramble 2023
Paul Draper, with his band Shotgun Pauly, gets the Ramble going again after a rain delay on Saturday.
Photo by Howard Owens.

An unexpected thunderstorm at about 1 p.m. on Saturday couldn't keep the Batavia Ramble and Arts Fest from rolling on, though it did put the music on pause for about an hour.

Paul Draper, one of the festival's organizers, said the music will continue throughout the day, pausing only for more thunder if it comes back.

Bands will continue to take the stage as scheduled, Draper said, just before his band, Shotgun Pauly, started its 2:20 p.m. scheduled set about 10 minutes late, giving him and his guys only 10 minutes to perform.

"We just keep an eye on it," Draper said. "We'll pause and pick up as the weather dictates.  We can only plan so much, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to the weather."

He said plenty of people were sticking around, and the sun had come back out, so, he said, "I still think it's going to be a good day."

Photos by Howard Owens.

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