downtown

This Sunday, O'Lacy's Irish Pub celebrates 15 years in business.

The location of O'Lacy's on School Street was the Darien Knitting Mill Outlet and Nancy Bachulak and Kent Ewell originally planned to convert the space into an office building, but after a visit to Rhode Island on St. Patrick's Day in 1996, Bachulak and Ewell decided to raze the existing building and build an authentic Irish pub.

Ewell said he's proud of the fact that no public funds were used in the purchase or construction of the building.

Pub stands for public house, and like the pubs of Europe and the British Isles, O'Lacy's has become a popular downtown gathering place for people from all over Genesee County and beyond.

O'Lacy's has won awards for its Guinness pours and is famous for its Reuben sandwich and homemade potato chips and dip.

Ewell and Bachulak have also supported numerous local charitable causes and events over the past 15 years, including the Michael Napoleon Foundation, UMMC and the Crossroads House.

The celebration will take place throughout the day Sunday.

UPDATED 2:55 p.m. with a little more information about the grant program.

People living downtown is a great complement to commerce downtown and bringing that mixed use to the city's primary commercial district is part of the city's strategic goals.

To help move that process along, on Monday night the Batavia City Council unanimously approved a change to the city's tax code that would provide a tax break to any building owner who converts a commercial property to one that includes second- and third-floor apartments.

"They (the Main Street Grant consultants) said they have a lot of experience with this," City Manager Jason Molino said. "A lot of communities use this. It’s a great exemption to get on the books to encourage, or at least lighten some of the tax burden, as they (developers) go to change and approve some of these mixed-use developments."

The tax abatement -- much like a PILOT -- provides tax relief on the increased assessment that is likely to occur with the redevelopment of the property. The property owner still pays taxes on the original assessment.

For example, if the assessed value goes from $200,000 to $300,000 because of the property improvements, the abatement applies to the extra $100,000 in assessed value.

In years one through eight, the property owner gets a 100-percent abatement, and the tax relief decreases 20 percent a year over the next four years and is eliminated by year 13.

"This promotes the types of uses we want downtown," Molino said. "We want commercial on the first floor, residential on the second and third floor. We want to promote that livable-community concept. You get the grocery store downtown, so it’s got a great complement. We’ve got the available space. It just needs to be developed."

There are currently 10 properties that have applied for grants through the Main Street grant program and Molino said four of those properties would be potentially eligible for this new tax exemption (the others are already mixed use).

Last year, the City was awarded a $450,000 grant from the state's Main Street Grant program. Of that, $400,000 is earmarked for improvements to existing structures downtown. Three projects have been funded by the BDC, which administers the program.

Ideally, Molino said, both the county and the school district will pass the same exemption.

The Easter Bunny is downtown today, hanging out outside the Enchanted Florist on East Main Street.

A plan for Ken Mistler to remodel the patio of the former South Beach Restaurant on Main Street received glowing reviews and eventual approval from members of the city's Design Review Committee on Tuesday.

The board opened its meeting with a field trip to South Beach were Mistler explained the concept.

Mistler intends to enclose the patio, but use retractable glass panels (something like a garage door made of glass panes) so that he can operate the patio as a bar, dining room and music venue 12 months out of the year.

"We'll close the windows for weather or when it's windy," Mistler said.

The concept has already received a positive recommendation from the Genesee County Planning Board and once the Design Review Committee approves his final plans in 30 days, Mistler will be able to proceed with construction.

Mistler is planning a Southwestern/Western theme with urban flair for the new restaurant and bar. It will be called City Slickers.

While the restaurant continues to cater parties in the basement bar and dining area, Mistler is completely remodeling the inside of the bar and dining area (the new custom-built wooden bars are stunning).

He expects to open City Slickers around the third week of April.

Photo below: Mistler holds a picture of the former Kiwanis Park that was west of South Beach from before Mistler remodeled it to the present patio.

Press release:

The Batavia Business Improvement District has awarded two more façade improvement grants to downtown businesses. The recipients were Francis Marchese, owner of 238 Ellicott St., and Brian and Beth Kemp, owners of T-Shirts Etc., 111 Main St.  

Both businesses received matching grants for improvements to their facades. Marchese received $1,550 for installing new windows and frames at his Ellicott Street property. The Kemps were awarded $447.66 for signage that brings back some nostalgia by mimicking the old J.J. Newberry-type letters. These funds were awarded based upon the Business Improvement District’s design guidelines  

The B.I.D. Design Committee has now awarded 78 matching grants totaling over $319,933 in funds to revitalize businesses within the district.  Currently, there are two more projects that have been approved and should be completed within the next two months.

The Business Improvement District façade improvement program was established in 1998 to provide economic assistance to property owners and tenants for exterior improvements to their buildings. It has contributed to the renewed vitality of downtown by providing economic assistance and preserving the character of its structures. 

According to Don Burkel, B.I.D. downtown manager, these improvements demonstrate a long-term commitment by these business owners to downtown and  positive steps for its future.  When you consider that 78 businesses have reinvested in total project costs of over $2,626,600 in the district, that’s pretty impressive.

Find out more about why it would benefit you to set up shop in Downtown Batavia. Contact Don Burkel, B.I.D. downtown manager, at (585) 344-0900 or visit www.downtownbataviany.com.

Downtown Batavia was hoppin' on Saturday night with hundreds of local residents out to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. We stopped by Delavan's, T.F. Brown's, Bourbon & Burger, Center Street Smoke House and, of course, O'Lacy's.

If you can't view the slide show below, cick here. To purchase prints of any of these photos, click here.

The Batavia Business Improvement District and Shop Batavia are now working together to help promote downtown businesses.

In a special arrangement for BID members, extra features and discounts are now available through Shop Batavia and participating BID members will be part of an association page, helping customers more easily find downtown businesses on the site.

BID members will be able to more effectively use Shop Batavia to promote their businesses and sell merchandise online with the enhanced features.

Details available in this PDF.

In a manner of speaking, Rob Credi is back.

Credi was one of the owners of Main Street Coffee from 2004 to 2009, and by mid-March he'll be running Kashmir Cafe at the corner of Main and Jackson streets.

That's the location owned by Ken Mistler and currently known as Espresso Salads and Subs.

Mistler remains the owner of the shop but Credi said he'll get full control of the operations, overseeing every aspect of the business.

Credi plans to revamp the interior -- he hopes to give it a more casual feel, to revive some of the "hang out" atmosphere of Main Street Coffee.

The drink menu will remain the same, and Next Level Fitness customers won't see any change in what they can purchase from that side of the counter, but Credi is planning a new sandwich menu, which he said will be "new American."

While Credi will manage the cafe, he won't be behind the counter every day. He has a full-time job in Rochester now, but will open the cafe in the mornings and serve coffee on weekends.

Downtown Batavia has a new liquor store -- one that will cater to the wine aficionado while still providing a large selection of lower-priced wine and spirits.

The site is the former shop of 3D Wine and Spirits and the new owner is Christine Crocker, who developed quite a following among wine connoisseurs in the county during her 14 years at her father's place in Le Roy, which he recently sold.

"This (store) was the right time and the right fit," Crocker said. "I didn't want to work for anybody else. I wanted to be my own boss again."

To open, Crocker is stocking 200 different wines, but the Le Roy story had a thousand and Crocker plans to expand the selection at YNGodess Shop.

She will also offer tastings on Friday and Saturday nights from 4-7pm.

"Part of it is educating people, moving them on to something different than they'd been drinking," Crocker said. "That’s the fun part. That’s why there’s so many different wines. Everybody’s got a different palate."

New York wines will figure prominently in the shop, including wine from Three Brothers, a Finger Lakes vintner which is a difficult label for retail shops to stock.

"Because we did well with Three Brothers in Le Roy, they were extremely excited that I was opening my own shop," Crocker said.

Crocker will also carry finer spirits, such as 15-year-old single barrel scotch and top-end bourbons, but there's still room on the shelf for Jack Daniel's.

The location at 73 Main St. is also perfect, said Crocker.

"We're right in the middle of this beautiful city," Crocker said. "I think it's going to be busy. People can pull right up and pull right out. There are a lot of people who work downtown. There are 70 people in the Tompkins (Insurance) Building alone. There's foot traffic. People are out walking at night all summer. I think we'll be busy."

When Dennis Taber heard from a friend in another town how well he was doing with a gold, silver and coin exchange business, he decided it sounded like something he should do.

His friend actually invested in Taber's business and helped him open American Trust Gold and Coin Exchange at 239 Ellicott St., Batavia.

"He said it was a lucrative idea and I decided to take a chance on it," said Taber, who has worked for 30 years as an antiques dealer.

The lifelong Batavia resident said he deals in gold and silver, coins and any antiques he thinks he can make a buck on.

Press release:

Java Farm Supply is expanding its operations to the City of Batavia by subleasing the entire two-plus-acre property located at 45 Center St., formerly known as United Rental. Java Farm Supply will be hiring up to 15 sales and service employees for this new tractor dealer location. Renovations to the property will begin immediately in preparation for a late February opening.

“I have been working to secure this lease for a while,” said Tony Mancuso, of Mancuso Commercial Realty. “We are really happy to be filling another vacant downtown building and creating jobs. It’s a win-win for everybody.”

Java Farm Supply represents more than 20 different brands of new and used farm equipment from advanced agriculture machines and compact tractors to lawn and garden equipment.

“Opening the Batavia location is a leap of faith for us,” said John Bookmiller, owner/partner. “Our business has grown steadily but, it is still a big commitment for our family-run operation.”

Mancuso Commercial Realty coordinated the transaction with help from the Genesee County Economic Development Center and the Batavia Development Corporation. City Manager Jason Molino also helped the process by highlighting the favorable zoning and daily drive-by traffic counts at the corner of Ellicott and Center streets. The summer farmers’ market across the street from the site was also a factor in closing the deal.

"The GCEDC is excited to have assisted Java Equipment on securing a site for their expansion into Genesee County", said Chris Suozzi, VP Business Development for GCEDC.  "It's a perfect use of the former United Rentals building in the City of Batavia."

Java Farm Supply has been in business since 1951 in North Java, Wyoming County, and currently employs 25 people representing two locations. The first company expansion was the opening of a sales office in Yorkshire, Cattaraugus County. The City of Batavia will host Java Farm Supply’s third sales office as well as the company’s second equipment servicing location.

Both the Batavia Development Corporation and the GCEDC are likely to support the project through financing and/or tax exemptions.

Interested job seekers should visit www.javafarmsupply.com to download an employment application.

Brian and Beth Kemp have moved their successful apparel business to Downtown Batavia, and are sure glad they did.

"We liked the location and needed more space," said Brian Kemp, whose T-Shirts Etc. started in the Harvester Center more than 14 years ago. "We thought it would be good to be more central, right downtown. The atmosphere is awesome and we're more visible."

In just two weeks since the move, Kemp said, he's already seen an increase in T-shirt sales and picked up a few new customers.

T-Shirts Etc. offers custom printing on clothing, embroidered items, decals, banners, canvas prints of photographs, plus a variety of promotional products.

The front of the store is retail space selling T-shirts and sweatshirts with a hometown flair, from Batavia Blue Devils T-shirts to sweatshirts with the city seal on the front.

It's also a place where Brian and Beth have hung dozens of their own paintings.

The old location on the corner of East Main Street and Harvester Avenue seemed to get overlooked by a lot of people, he said, but now more people are stopping in the store on a daily basis.

The new location is 110 Main St., which sat vacant for a couple of years after Main Street Coffee closed.

Kemp said they're happy to finally be part of the BID (Business Improvement District) and look forward to participating in popular events such as Summer in the City and the fall Wine Walk.

Cookies and Milk would like to inform everyone in the community that they going out of business as of Saturday, Dec. 31.

There are lots of items for sale such as an oven, tables and racks. All equipment is for sale.

Stop by Cookies & Milk, 29 City Centre or contact Lorraine Schaub at 585-356-7759 for additional information.

Reader Debra Nanni took a walk through Downtown enjoying all of the storefront displays and wanted share her pictures, and her appreciation with The Batavian readers.

"It's not New York City, but it was a pleasant walk anyways, and nice to look at," Nanni said.

BTW: People who register on Shop Batavia can submit community pictures to that website as well.

In a way, you can thank Walmart for the new grocery store downtown, which held its ribbon cutting today and will officially open Wednesday.

Co-owner John Hedlund (top photo, right) once owned a grocery store in a small town in Pennsylvania, then Walmart came to town. The giant retailer leveled a hill across the street from his store and within six months had taken away half his business.

After closing the store, he started looking for other opportunities in the grocery business, and with his desire to remain entrepreneurial and independent, the Save-A-Lot model appealed to him.

Hedlund converted his Jubilee store in Salamanca to Save-A-Lot and along with business partner Bill Larson now owns and operates four Save-A-Lot locations in Pennsylvania and New York.

Larson was owner of the former IGA store in Corfu.

"Walmart devastated me, but they also put me on a different track," Hedlund said. "The Save-A-Lot program is a great business to bring to a community."

Save-A-Lot is a mixture of corporate-owned stores and licensed stores, such as the new one in Batavia. The company operates 1,200 stores nationwide.

The Save-A-Lot model is to maintain low prices with a comparatively limited inventory and smaller stores -- Batavia's store is 18,000 square feet, which is large for a Save-A-Lot. The store also sells its own brands, such as Bubba's sodas, Malone's canned meats and Manita's pasta (names taken from actual people who work at corporate headquarters in Earth City, Mo.

"The Save-A-Lot format is to provide quality products at lower prices," Hedlund said.

Larson (top photo, left) said the produce and meat offered at Save-A-Lot are always fresh and of the highest grade available.

Victor Gautieri's family company owns the former Jubilee/Latina's building -- between Jackson and Court streets on Ellicott Street -- where the new store is located. There are still 22,000 square feet available for lease. Gautieri said he hopes it becomes a retail hub for downtown anchored by Save-A-Lot.

"From the word on the street, we're hearing people say this is a godsend for Downtown Batavia, " Gautieri said. "And we're finally getting this white elephant off the shoulders of the city."

Outgoing City Council President Marianne Clattenburg said, "We're very happy in the City of Batavia to finally have another grocery store downtown."

More than a dozen customers were in the store after the ribbon cutting to check out what it has to offer and buy a few items.

"I like it because I used to drive to Save-A-Lot in Le Roy, but that's too far to drive," Carla Laird said. "And it's hard to get to Tops a lot of times."

Billie Jo Laird said, "It's great for people who don't have a car and can't drive."

Hedlund said it's the goal of his company to help the communities they serve to thrive.

"The downtown area was missing a grocery store and it needed a grocery store," Hedlund said. "This is a great opportunity for us."

In an era when it seems just about everything is going digital, Jennifer McAuley has taken her business in the opposite direction.

The former Buffalo resident -- she and her family moved to Corfu in August -- has made her living for years selling secondhand items on Ebay.

But as of Friday, McAuley's Bargain Bin is now a "brick and mortar" business. McAuley opened up shop in the Mortellaro building on Jackson Street.

“My Ebay fees were way over what I could pay for a store," McAuley said. "And with a store, I can actually  interact with customers and not worry about postage and ‘hey the post office broke it,’ or whatever.”

When McAuley held a garage sale in Corfu over the summer, the sale went so well, she started to think she needed to open a shop in Genesee County.

"With the economy and everything else going on, this is the best business to open up here,"  McAuley said.

McAuley gets most of her merchandise from storage unit auctions, store return merchandise and overstocks.

She prides herself on keeping prices low, "just like a garage sale."

"A little kid came in yesterday and he told my daugher he only had 50 cents," McAuley said. "I had a pair of Jordon sneakers for 50 cents. He said, ‘I need to get these so I have a new pair of sneakers just like my brother.’ He paid for them with his own money and he was so happy with them. It was absolutely unbelievable. To give somebody a good item at a discounted price is amazing.”

For the 23rd year, all are welcome at T.F. Brown's on Christmas Day for a free holiday dinner, and for the children, Christmas gifts.

Seating times at T.F. Brown's this year will be at noon and 1 p.m. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling Maud at 343-2091.

T.F. Brown's is not officially open on Christmas and there will be no bar service that day.

The traditional Christmas Day fare will include turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries, salad and dessert.

Photo: Ben Mancuso, Rick Mancuso, Joe Teresi, John Murray, president of the Batavia Lions Club, and Chuck Brenner, also of the Lions Club.

This sign appeared in a shop window on Ellicott Street in the last day or so.  Nobody was around this morning, so no word on when the new deli might open.

It will be Ellicott Street's third deli. This summer, Molasses Hill moved from Alexander to a location near Harvester Ave., and, of course, on the corner of Liberty and Ellicott is Southside Deli. That location has been a deli or meat market for more than 100 years.

There's been a bit of a boomlet on Ellicott this past year, with four, now five, new shops opening for business.

Press release:

Downtown Batavia – The first “Taste Of The Holidays” hosted by the Batavia Business Improvement District, which took place on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 2-3, was a huge success. More than 400 people attended the Friday night tastings under the Holiday Tent.

Seven area restaurants participated and three winners were selected by the people as the “Best of…The Taste of the Holidays” based upon their favorite tastings.

First place went to the B.I.D.’s own Sunny’s Restaurant,12 Batavia City Centre, for their outstanding Artichoke French and Vodka Pasta dishes. Second place went to Delavan’s, 107 Evans St., for their scrumptious Italian Sausage with Peppers & Onions, and in third place was Batavia’s Original, 500 E. Main St., for their delicious Specialty Pizzas. Other participants were: Coffee Culture, Molasses Hill, O’Lacy’s Irish Pub and T.F. Brown’s. All should be congratulated as they made the debut of this event most successful.

Three individuals who won the gift certificates were: Jeff Allen from Oakfield, Darrell and Janet Smith from Medina, and Carrie Lawrence from Batavia.

Jeff Allen from Oakfield said, “Hope this is a tradition that will grow.”

We hope so, too, and encourage more area restaurants to join us next year. Any restaurants who are interested in participating or individuals who would like being on the committee for the 2012 “Taste of the Holidays,” please let us know by calling Don Burkel at the B.I.D.: 344-0900.

LPL Financial is growing, and to accommodate the growth has moved into new office space in Downtown Batavia.

The financial services office is now located at 216 E. Main St., #3.

Joining LPL as a financial advisor is Judy Thompson, who has more than 30 years experience in the financial services industry.

“We are very excited to have Judy working along side us at LPL,” said Marc Staley, managing principal. “She brings tremendous experience to our office, along with many wonderful relationships throughout Genesee and Wyoming counties”

Thompson joined the firm Nov. 28.

“I am thrilled about continuing my career as an independent advisor,” Thompson said. “I am very passionate about servicing my clients, and dedicated to the ongoing commitment that it takes to build solid relationships with them.”   

Thompson joins the team that already included Jill Meeder, relationship manager.

Staley said that with Thompson’s addition, LPL needed more private and functional office space, so the firm moved from its former location at Main and Jackson streets.  

“Jill and I knew we wanted to stay downtown and remain in the BID," Staley said. "We loved our old location, but privacy and confidentiality became an issue as we grew. Our new space has four large offices, a conference room and a nice reception area.” 

The space also opens the door for adding another financial advisor to the staff at some point in 2012.

It's a matter of finding the right person, Staley said.

“Judy and I share a very similar approach to managing our clients, and it just happens to fit perfectly with LPL’s model," Staley said.

Judy lives in Attica with her husband Peter. She can be reached in her new office at 345-9797 or by email at judy.thompson@lpl.com.

Photo: Staley, left, Thompson and Meeder.