Some people come to shop.
Some come to rock.
Some come to stroll.
No matter what you choose, Hertel Avenue’s ‘Shop, Rock & Stroll‘ event is the perfect excuse to explore the neighborhood, discover some new boutiques and stop for a bite to eat or drink in one of Buffalo’s hippest ‘hoods. If you missed Friday’s event, you’ll have your chance again on Friday, August 30th.
The Buffalo News article from June 16 raised my eyebrows with curiosity and optimism. Where’s the next stop for the Lexington Co-op? Could it be Hertel? I don’t see why not. Here’s my 9 reasons why they should open a second shop on Hertel:
1. It’s still in the city. The Co-op has thrived for over 40 years and rapidly grown in popularity since moving to Elmwood in 2005. Translation: City = success. If they’re looking for like-minded city folk, Hertel is where you find us. After 5 seconds of research, East Aurora was the only other co-op in the County that I could find. Heading north seems like a logical move. Hertel is right on the doorstep of Kenmore, Tonawanda & Amherst too so you have a critical mass of potential customers.
2. We’ve got JUST the place for you. The Co-op needs a little room to stretch its’ legs. Boy do we have the perfect location for you. The old Lunetta’s restaurant has been gone for some time and the location is begging for a new owner. It comes with plenty ‘o parking (or go bigger store, less parking) and a shop like the co-op could help become an anchor tenant to that small section of Hertel that still hasn’t found its groove. It’s a match made in heaven.
3. No direct competition. Dash’s is the only market on Hertel and considering they do not sell organic products, a CO-op could CO-exist. While Wegmans (on Amherst St.) has an organic section and produce, it does not offer the same intimate shopping experience as the co-op.
4. We’re farmers market-less. Hertel is currently lacking that connection with local farmers. We’re starving for fresh, local and organic produce. Do you hear me? STARVING! The co-op can fill that gap.
5. Erin Reedy thinks it’s a good idea. Who’s Erin Reedy? She’s on the Board for the Social Media Club of Buffalo and is a passionate North Buffalo resident, that’s who! “I think Hertel Avenue has one of the widest varieties of ethnic cuisine in the city and think the Lexington co-op would be a perfect addition to the growing population of residents seeking variety and healthy options.”
6. Follow the leader. Everybody’s doing it. I know, I know. “If your friend told you to go streaking through the quad and into the gymnasium, would you do that too?” But let’s be honest here, the trend of Elmwood businesses opening additional locations on Hertel seems to be the thing to do and guess what – it’s working! Village Beer Merchant, room, CRAVing, Spot, etc. The co-op needs to be next on that list.
7. Scones. I’m addicted to baked goods. Like addicted to the point of having dreams of opening my own bakery someday. I seek out the best of the best when it comes to sugary sweets. The co-op’s baking up some SERIOUS scones. I need them in a much closer proximity to me than they currently are.
8. Walk this way. Hertel is walkable. Walkable is green. Green is healthy. Healthy is the co-op. THEREFORE Hertel is the co-op. That’s got 11th grade math logic written all over it.
9. Because I said so? Can that be a reason? Sure…it’s my blog. BECAUSE I SAID SO.
I can’t be alone. Among the thousands of pro-716 “BuffaLOVERS”, I think many of us have an unexplained affinity for the standing buffalo. An odd choice for a favorite animal, sure. Especially for one that has no confirmed credit for the city of Buffalo’s name. But yet it’s slapped all over everything we love, from sports teams to street landscapes. So of course when Karen and I moved to the city, we immediately needed to adorn our new house with the burly image.
Enter New Buffalo Graphics, the standing buffalo capital of Buffalo.
The first piece that caught my eye looked like a pack of camel cigarettes. Closer inspection revealed creative detail with a purpose unrelated to smoking altogether. References to camel were replaced by buffalo both in writing and graphically. Cigarettes became clarinets and the subhead of Jazz & Geography Blend Clarinets brought it all together.
But what’s better is how those elements came about.
I inquired with Hertel Avenue shop owner and designer, Michael Morgulis (who I note is a former award winning Ad Club member), about his inspiration for this wildly interesting piece, and also (politely) demanded an explanation on how it related to Buffalo. He was happy to oblige, and went on to tell me about his days in the late 70s and early 80s where he would develop posters for the Just Buffalo Literary Center. Each poster announced an event, usually a poetry reading or other literary happening. In this case, poets and musicians from many geographical points around the country were coming to perform in Buffalo. It was sort of a rock concert, but with poetry and jazz.
He went on to tell me how the stars aligned at the 11th hour.
“So, there I was trying to meet deadline, up all night, drinking coffee and smoking one Camel after another, struggling to come up with the right combination of words and images. And then it was time to take my daughter to the Community Music School for her clarinet lesson. As usual, she complained that I smelled bad from smoking so much. So, I decided the only right thing to do was to listen to the wisdom and quit smoking then and there. All at once the elements of that moment coalesced. The sun came out from behind the clouds, the air was clear and I knew that the clarinet/cigarette rhyme and the “make music, not smoke” message was going to somehow be on the 17×22 piece of paper on my drawing board. I crumpled the pack of Camels with 3 cigarettes left, meaning to dump it forever… and then, in a double-take, uncrumpled the package, flattened it out and looked at it in an all new way.
I finished the poster in time and never went back to smoking. It was 1985.”
28 years later, it’s in my living room.
Hello Hertel 