Ghiradelli

San Diego Ghiradelli location in former cinema

 Ghiradelli in the Bay Area are a leading brand of premium chocolate dating back to the Victorian era. They have locations mainly in major cities. Parent company Lindt & Sprüngli have even more, but that would require a separate post. There's one downstate, of course, yet Ghiradelli should expand to smaller markets, namely those Upstate. Ghiradelli products are available in stores coast to coast, yet I just learnt that they're also a chain through a Facebook post about cocoa of all things. My doctor wants me to have low-cal sugar-free cocoa, which Ghizza might think is beneath them, but anyway, this one will be a bit of a challenge since they're streets ahead of Gertrude Hawk and even Fanny Farmer from the old days. Might just stick to malls and strip centres in the main markets.


Syracuse - Destiny USA, former Unos

Rochester (Pittsford) - former Fays/Eckerd/Rite Aid, NY 31

Buffalo (Cheektowaga) - Walden Galleria

New Hartford - Sangertown Square, NY 5 & 5A

Albany - Crossgates Mall, US 20 or Colonie Centre, NY 5 & Wolf Rd

Johnson City - Oakdale Commons

Weis Gas Rewards in Southern Tier

 

Former Giant store in Binghamton (AI edit; CVS now closed)

    With the loss of Price Chopper and Market 32's FuelAdvantage after nearly two decades, Sunoco stations in the Southern Tier and Northeast Pennsylvania will have less business unless they are willing to switch to a competitors own version, and one that is more dominant in the area anyway. Weis Markets have had a monopoly in Broome County alone since buying Giant Markets from the Axel family in 2009. So now it only makes sense if these franchises are willing to participate in Weis Gas Rewards. Even when I last went to the area over the festive period, I saw that two stations had one or the other and were just several miles apart, but never thought that the one that I know could be gone months later. The Elmira store further into Twin Tiers was opened before the Giant deal, and is the only one in the state today not part of that lot or to have its own Gas-'n'-Go station. If Weis bought the former P&C/Tops/Grand Union in Owego, then the Sunoco at the Onvo service station off of I-86 & NY 17 in Nichols would likely join the programme. In Weis's home state, it's a bit more sporadic until you get further towards Susquehanna Valley, where the chain are based. Price Chopper have stores all the way to Lackawanna and Wyoming Valleys and the Poconos, even though one in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre suburb of Taylor had closed recently, since Price Chopper aren't as mega in Pennsylvania, I guess.
    Here are where Sunoco should accept Weis Gas Rewards (if an area Sunoco isn't listed, they either have it already or it's just not right near Binghamton):

Binghamton (east side) - NY 7

Binghamton (near downtown) - NY 17C

Cortland (downtown) - NY 13 & 41 and US 11 (only if Weis come to Cortland)

Cortlandville - NY 281 (same as above)

Endwell/Endicott - 3225 E Main St

Friendsville, PA - PA 267 (although Weis aren't even in Susquehanna County)

Nichols - Onvo, CR 509 (only if Weis open in Owego, although this is technically between the two)

Leader Drugs

Church Leader Drugs in East Syracuse (AI replica)

 Leader Drugs is a brand found at and consortium of indie drug stores. I remember it from the old days, yet I just discovered that they are alive and well today at a few thousand mom and pop pharmacies across the country. This may be a bit tricky to find past or present affiliates in New York or any other state, yet it was and to this day is what you'd find at a local chemist when their national competitors are struggling (David and Goliath again, you know). I'll just show you a number of yesterday and todays* Leader Drug Stores in CNY and WNY that I can remember (near me anyway) or dig up (just need enough to post).

Oswego - Wayne Drugs; NY 104 (still going strong, and where I learnt that Leader lives)*

Fulton - Wayne Drugs; E 1st St; sold to Kinney, which opened new store around the corner; now vacant

Syracuse (downtown) - Harrison Center Pharmacy/G&L/Kress (successor to classic north side store); Almond, Harrison & E Adams Sts; later sold to Kinney; now Upstate Medical Offices

Syracuse (south side) - Figs & Olives Pharmacy; NY 173 & E Brighton Ave; sold to Kinney, which opened new store across the street; demolished for Tim Hortons, which is now Dunkin'

North Syracuse - US 11; now Sammys NYC Deli and Grill

Manlius - Harveys Pharmacy; NY 92 (later Eckerd and Rite Aid, then Unplugged Gaming, now Dollar General)

Syracuse (east side/foot of SU Hill) - Harveys Drugs; NY 92 (same owners as above; now cornershop)

Syracuse (east side/near SU southeast campus) - Drumlins Pharmacy?; Skytop Plaza (later switched to Fays Cornerdrug; became Eckerd and Rite Aid; now Walgreens)

Henrietta - NY 15; now Brighton Health Center (Strong Ties URMC)

Liverpool/Bridgeport/Phoenix/Tully - Tri-R Drugs? (see previous post)

Buffalo (present) - Kents Leader Drug; NY 354*

Buffalo (past) - Bergs Leader Drug; 1540 Genesee St (now vacant lot)

Depew - Save Rite; NY 78 & US 20 ? (later Fays; TBD since I just don't know Erie County that well myself)

Syracuse (north side) - Kress Drugs; Butternut & Park Sts; late Victorian building survived well into 1990s; business moved to site off I-81 (soon to be BL-81); now demolished

New York (Midtown Manhattan) - 235 E 22nd St (even found a downstate one)*

*Leaders own site doesn't list their locations at this time, making it a wild goose chase to find them.

Tri-R Drugs

Screenshot from old commercial from the '80s

 Tri-R Drugs were a small local chain serving three counties. Kinney Drugs bought them out by the '90s and only one of these is still in business at its original location. Not sure if they were Rexall like Kinney were, Good Neighbor, or even Leader (that will be the next post). You never know what you can find.

Liverpool - CR 57; now Kinney Drugs

Phoenix - CR 57 & 57A; TBD

Bridgeport - NY 31 & 298; TBD

Tully - US 11 & NY 80; now vacant

Dunk & Bright Furniture

AI version of the original Dunk & Bright Furniture

 After a month without any new ideas, I decided to cover Dunk & Bright Furniture (O'Dunk & O'Bright during St Patricks season to reflect the founders' Irish roots). The original store on S Salina St and E Bright Ave on Syracuse's south side will be closing in the coming weeks. Many people assume the business as a whole is coming to an end, not realising that a new store has opened in the former Great Northern Mall in Clay where Sibleys, Kaufmanns and Macys had been. To boot, Dunk & Bright have gone outside CNY to the Rochester area and opened in South Town Plaza on Jefferson Road (NY 252) in Henrietta, where Burlington, kmart, Freddys, and PriceRite used to be. It's new to most people there, and they're pessimistic about another furniture store there, with Marketplace Mall down the road being closed, and brick and mortar retail in general facing decline in recent years between online dominance and the economy. It's not uncommon to fear the unfamiliar. Hometown rival Raymour & Flanigan are in WNY and have expanded across the eastern seaboard, so it can be done. Dunk & Bright might just stick to the two stores at this stage. I don't think they want to be a big chain like that.
 I've only gone to the flagship once decades ago. It seemed to take time to look at everything, being the largest furniture store in the whole state, tucked into a part of town that now doesn't have as much money. With Dunk & Bright entering their 100th year, it had opened in a more innocent time. The fire department are said to be buying some of the building. Staff and remaining stock will be moved up the new I-81 (still I-481 for now) and NY 481 to the new store, where the mall is being done up in the wake of Microns building site just a few miles away. It's a slam Dunk and the future looks Bright for one of the areas oldest local businesses. There's also outlet store A. Bright Furniture in Westvale Plaza, which had moved several blocks from Wegmans Plaza on Onondaga Blvd from the former Chase-Pitkin and Big Lots turned Goodwill. So much for Goldbergs and Besdins (one from before my time I looked up).

AI version of store's early days nearly a century ago

The Return of Rite Aid

 

Former Canastota store with logo added

    Just when you thought Rite Aid were dead and gone, it turns out they are an online-only entity, now under new management. I got a tip on Facebook, and they now will fill prescriptions virtually, and provide health-care information. Instead of new stores, they have partnered with over two-thousand labs across the country. However, the site is hard to manoeuvre and I can only get jab labs in Scranton, PA, where the original chain began as Thrift D Drugs. I did see Quest Diagnostics, however; my closest one of which is near where Rite Aid used to be blocks from home, but at Quests old location a mile away, they couldn't accommodate my particular needs, so I go to a competitor for that instead. As for scripts, Rite Aid said you could look for your old one from a couple years ago if it wasn't binned, or just ring your new chemist to transfer it  once Rite Aid are set up to be a ghost pharmacy, if you like, competing with Amazon, Express Scripts, and Rex MD. While it can be convenient for both busy people and those who can't get out too much or at all, the post is not always convenient or safe, and it's just part of a growing trend of shifting business online. Rite Aid scripts were eventually acquired by nearby area  Walgreens, CVS/pharmacy (if not through Target), or indies, while customers could simply choose to move them to another chain, online, or a local pharmacy in their area. These competitors would have signs saying they welcome Rite Aid customers either way so they have a new place to pick up meds.
    By the time Rite Aid enter their sixty-fifth year this fall, everything should be in place. Like other shuttered chains that came back as e-tailers like Wards, it's just not the Rite Aid that we grew up with.

Rural King

The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 I've heard of Rural King on Facebook recently, and I assumed they only opened in small towns, yet they compete more with Tractor Supply and CountryMax, which are in my area. Rural King are finally coming to New York with a store in Twin Tiers according to NBC 18 WETM, which led to this post. This opens the door to more locations by starting near the state line. Since some other chains are harder to replace with their own sort, Rural King might take over these properties as they did in Chemung County. Most of the country is near some form of countryside, even in bigger areas, so it shouldn't be too hard to come up with new locations like with the rest.

Elmira - S Main St; former Tops (confirmed)

Binghamton - US 11; former Giant/Grand Union/Weis

Sidney - former Great American BK5

Greene - former Great American BK5

Cortland - former Big Lots; NY 281

Auburn - former Sears, Fingerlakes Mall; US 20 & NY 5

Syracuse - former P&C/Tops, Westvale Plaza; NY 5

Oneida - former Foodtown; NY 365A

New Hartford - former Herb Phillipsons; New Hartford Shopping Ctr

Rome - former P&C/Tops/Grand Union, Freedom Plaza; NY 46 & 49

Albany (Colonie) - former Barnes & Noble/ShopRite; Wolf Rd

Schenectady - former Grand Union/ALDI; NY 5 & 7

Gloversville - former Price Chopper; N Main St

Watertown - former P&C/Tops/Grand Union; US 11

Fulton - former kmart, River Glen Plaza; NY 481

Oswego - NY 104

Rochester (Henrietta) - former Freddys/PriceRite, SouthTown Plaza; NY 252

Buffalo (Amherst) - former Best Buy, NY 78

Tully's Good Times

Better AI of Fayetteville Tullys

 Tully's Good Times are known for their chicken tenders and sports display, with locations throughout Central and Western New York and Northeastern Pennsylvania. Some CNY locations were previously the Ground Round (Liverpool and possibly Fairmount), Uno's Pizzeria and Grill (Fayetteville, pictured), and Friendlys (Tullys Tenders in Oswego). The last post led me to take it further with Tullys. While two on the list have been confirmed by the chain as far as them wanting to open them, they're in the same boat as for the rest the way we do things around here. The same family also own CopperTop Tavern, which only have a few locations, while having closed Good Buddy's Pub in Fairmount up W Genesee St from that Tullys, where TJs Big Boy and IHOP used to be and is now Second Chance Diner, which in turn, moved in from Camillus, but more on that another day. In Liverpool, Tullys Tenders have been looking to build on NY 31 between CR 57 and NY 481. Microns construction may have prompted that of the truncated version of the chain that is already on NY 104 after going up the previous highway. Originally from Batavia, the chain are now based in East Syracuse, and the east side location is the de facto flagship. Someone on Facebook had brought up one in the Mohawk Valley that is also in the works, akin to the one shown. As for the rest of the region, I'll just have to look around the region for other closed restaurants that can be done up as usual, or even just built from the ground up, if that. Now I must go back at least once a month for lunch now that they gave me a punch card to draw me in.

Liverpool (Clay/Bayberry) - NY 31, build from scratch (no pun intended); Tullys Tenders (confirmed)

New Hartford - CR 21, former Unos/Outback Steakhouse?; Orchard Plaza (plans confirmed for new location in that area)

Cortland - NY 281 & 222; former Eckerd/Rite Aid (since another pharmacy is unlikely)

Ithaca - NY 13, 34 & 96; former Burger King (building could be demolished since it's a state)

Oneida - NY 5; former KFC? (could be too small, so may also be replaced by original building site)

Horseheads - CR 35 & 75; Arnot Mall (I don't know Twin Tiers well enough to think of another spot)

Auburn - NY 5 & US 20; Fingerlakes Mall (even Cayuga County is tight on space along that corridor)

Caribou Coffee

Older Caribou Coffee in the Twin Cities Region. Courtesy Scott Beale/Laughing Squid.

 As if we need another coffee chain, Caribou Coffee, one chiefly in the Midwest and east coast south of the Beltway (those went to Peets, which I may do another day), was brought up by the floof group, led by another "Cervidae". I likely may have heard of it before in passing, but I'm not sure how, since it's from the Minnesota Capital Region. I could have even seen it in Chicago, where they'd be up against McDonald's McCafé. This is likely the very last post for 2025. Here's where Caribou could "rein" in:

North Syracuse - US 11 & S Bay Rd, Northern Lights Plaza, former Hofmann Hot Haus/Salt City Dogs (demolish building since it's too small and dated to be done up to Caribous standards and start fresh)

Mattydale - US 11 & Malden Rd; former Eckerd/Rite Aid/Walgreens (instead of above)

Oneida - NY 5, former KFC?

Baldwinsville (former Tri-County Mall) - Downer St, former Eckerd/Rite Aid

Cortland - NY 281 & 222, former Eckerd/Rite Aid

Syracuse (east side) - NY 5

Camillus - W Genesee St, former Friendlys/Second Chance Diner

Cicero - US 11 & Caughdenoy Rd, former Eckerd/Rite Aid/Walgreens

Baldwinsville (Moyers Corners) - NY 31 & CR 57, Kimbrook Plaza; former KeyBank?/Walgreens

Auburn - NY 5 & US 20; Fingerlakes Mall

Fulton - NY 3; former Rite Aid/Walgreens

Oswego - NY 104

Sweetheart Market: 80 Years On

 

AI of original store with real signs added

    While trying to find inspiration for this months post, I thought I would find it at Drivers Village in Cicero, which was Penn-Can Mall in the old days. I didn't see anything new to go on there, but I did see a restored photo of Sweetheart Market from a few miles away on the corner of US 11 and West Taft Road in North Syracuse. From fruit and veg stand with their own ice cream to a large corner shop. It was in 1979 that the store I remember had been built in order to compete with Williams across the street, as well as big names like Wegmans, Price Chopper, the old Tops, and P&C. It was part of the Hometown Markets co-op by 1985 when Williams weren't, but left when the latter were sold to Peters in 1996. By 2003, neither Sweetheart nor Peters could survive in the new century. Eckerd opened at the site and the corner sign remains to this day. Rite Aid is now empty, but could a new Sweetheart Market open inside since getting CVS in there is a longshot at this rate? Now that a large Walmart and ALDI are also now in the picture, it would be more uphill for Sweetheart to stand out in the current climate, even though a few remaining rivals of the same stature still do.

I recently came across a Sweetheart cart earlier this year on Burnet Ave in Eastwood. Not sure how it got all the way over there or stayed intact for over two decades. This was down the street from where Burnet Market, Big M turned onetime fellow Hometown Market and later indie health food store that was also demolished. I even found a Peters cart across from Wegmans in East Syracuse of all places.

If I were shopping at Sweetheart today.

The sign is not the only thing that made it.

The UPS Store in CNY

Fantasy Eastwood store in Syracuse

 The UPS Store are the shipping giants retail arm and successor to Mail Boxes, Etc. in North America. They provide direct UPS services and rates, and most Amazon.com and other online returns. When you can't get to the post office, much but not all of what they do is available for a bit more. However, some locations in CNY have closed over the years, while new ones should be opened. The latest is downtown or the north side of Syracuse. I'll just have to reach into the memory vault or look up old and new spots as always. Here's what the brown lorry delivered:

Past locations:

Syracuse (Eastwood) - Shop City; now Appliance Parts

Syracuse (downtown) - S Warren & E Jefferson Sts; now boutique shop/CommonSpace

East Syracuse - NY 290; now RISE medical cannabis dispensary

Baldwinsville (Moyers Corners) - CR 57 & NY 31, Kimbrook Plaza; TBA (current store across CR 57)

Syracuse (east side) - Nottingham Rd, Julian Pl & E Colvin St; now Café Kubal (moved up Nottingham Rd next to Kinney Drugs)

Auburn - Genesee St (only just closed)

Penfield - NY 441, Bay Towne Plaza (also closed for now, but found while looking up locations)*

Pittsford - NY 31, Pittsford Plaza*

*Rochester area

Future locations:

Syracuse (Eastwood) - NY 290 & North Ave; former PostNet/Daws Drugs/Walgreens (20th Century) (AI pictured)

Liverpool - Electronics Pkwy & Old Liverpool Rd; former Big M/Carls Drugs/Fays Drugs/Thrifty Shopper/Palm Market; Liverpool Plaza (there'd be room for sorting packages)

Syracuse (Fairmount) - Fairmount Fair

New Hartford - NY 5A; former similar business

Former Burlington locations

Former Henrietta store; soon to be Dunk & Bright Furnitures first outside CNY

 Burlington may sound boring, but in CNY alone, there are a few spots where they used to be. I feel like I did this before, but it just turns out I put in other posts what could go and went into them. I've gathered enough from Syracuse, Rochester, the North Country, Capital Region and Twin Tiers to make this one. The current Syracuse (city) store in Destiny USA was where the Rx Place and Comp USA were. The deWitt store in the former kmart had an accident and will reopen in January. I'm sticking to Upstate because some things are just too downstate-centric. They've come a long way from just a coat factory.

Fayetteville - NY 5 & N Burdick St, Fayetteville Mall; demolished in 2001; now Towne Centre with Tops, Target and several others

Cicero - E Circle Dr, Drivers Village (formerly Penn-Can Mall); previously Sears and Steinbach; now vacant

North Syracuse - US 11 & S Bay Rd, Northern Lights Plaza; later Media Play (closed 2003); moved to above; now vacant (plaza acquired by Raymour & Flanigan)

Henrietta - NY 252 & 15, South Town Plaza; previously kmart?; soon to be Dunk & Bright Furniture (first store outside Onondaga County, as they have acquired plaza)

Watertown - NY 3 & CR 100, Salmon Run Mall; previously Montgomery Ward; now Bob Johnson Auto Group? (I haven't been here since 2011, but it's a small town, and he's one of the biggest names in the motor trade, coming out of Monroe County)

Latham - NY 2, 7 & 9, Latham Circle Mall; previously The Boston Store; closed May 2012; current store at the Shoppes at Latham Circle, coming full circle

Big Flats - CR 35 & 75, Arnot Mall; moving to former JoAnn Fabrics by late Spring 2026

Dutch Bros Coffee

Multnomah County location in August in the Pacific Northwest

Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 I know there are a tonne of coffee places big and small these days, but Dutch Bros are a chain that haven't reached the Northeast just yet. The only part of the east coast they've gotten to thus far is the Orlando area between Floridas coasts, yet some of their competitors weren't always that widespread themselves. They all prefer to build from scratch like the photo shows rather than try to do up another chains building. I can just go to ones that are too much a state to save or won't sell or let so Dutch Bros can bring their courage (even though that term means Heineken, mind).

Oneida - NY 5, former KFC?

Syracuse (east side) - NY 5, former Arthur Treachers

North Syracuse - US 11 & S Bay Rd, Northern Lights Plaza; former Hofmann Hot Haus/Salt City Dogs

Mattydale - US 11 & Malden Rd, former Eckerd/Rite Aid/Walgreens (instead of above)

Liverpool - Old Liverpool Rd, former Eckerd/Rite Aid/Family Dollar

East Syracuse - NY 298, former Starbucks/Jimmy Johns

Ithaca - NY 13/34/96, former Burger King

Cortland - NY 281 & 222, former Eckerd/Rite Aid

Baldwinsville (Moyers Corners) - NY 31 & CR 57, former KeyBank/Walgreens

Baldwinsville (Tri-County Mall) - Downer St, former Eckerd/Rite Aid

Fulton - NY 3, former Rite Aid/Walgreens

Oswego - NY 104, former Ponderosa

Rome - NY 46 & 49, former Rite Aid

Ace Hardware

Fratellones Ace Hardware in New Hope, MN (Twin Cities area). Courtesy Chad Davis.

 Ace Hardware may seem just as easy as their big box competitors, but even they have some pockets in CNY they could still fill. They're likely to take over franchises from rival co-op True Value after they were sold to Do It Best where those two overlap, but not where Ace already have an affiliate. Ace have gotten several former True Value stores in CNY alone in recent years, and opened a few more. The one in Liverpool Plaza, the center my late father over saw in later days, had that personal service that the big chains mostly lack, given that all Ace stores are separately and locally owned and operated. I had a coupon and bought a few things, even though I didn't get all his DIY knowhow (he went to "the other place" mostly). I did get my lawn mower fixed there by David, which Goliath doesn't do, if you like. Here are where Ace should have a base (see what I did there?!):

Syracuse (Lyncourt) - Shop City Plaza; former Ames/Eckerd/Rite Aid

Syracuse (Westvale) - Westvale Plaza, NY 5; former P&C/Tops (Sears Hardware used to be up the block in current Thrifty Shopper, so this would bring DIY back to this part of town)

Canastota - NY 5 & 13 and CR 25; former Family Dollar or former Rite Aid/Walgreens

Chittenango - NY 5; former Rite Aid/Walgreens

Utica - Genesee St; former Carls/Fays/Eckerd/Rite Aid or Rite Aid only (across from Market 32)

New Hartford - Kellogg Mall, Washington Mills, CR 26; former Fays/Eckerd/Rite Aid and/or New Hartford Shopping Center; former Tuesday Morning or Herb Phillipsons

Cortland - Riverside Plaza, NY 13; former flea market or NY 222; former Valu Home Center

Gloversville - N Main St; former Rite Aid (Noble are in Johnstown)

Mattress Firm: 40 Years On

Future store in Rome on that Erie Blvd E

    With Metro Mattress, Resnicks, and Sleepys all put to bed, if you like, Mattress Firm are the next chain that are late to the party in CNY, since they're in WNY in Cheektowaga for a start. The first chain based in Liverpool had just gone out of business, so the one from Houston are perfect for the empty stores, as well as others around the region. We'll sleep on it. This makes the Sleepys post obsolete.
UPDATE (3/5/26): Metro Mattress are now under new management, so some stores were reopened (just a couple in CNY so far, and that chain will get their own post at a later time), thus I had to delete them and find alternative locations.

Liverpool - CR 57, Bayberry Plaza (pictured below)*

deWitt - NY 5, former Charneys/Wheels; Empire Plaza

Syracuse (Fairmount) - W Genesee St; Fairmount Fair

Camillus - Township Blvd; Township 5* (instead of Fairmount)

Fulton - NY 481 & CR 57, former kmart; River Glen Plaza

Oswego - NY 104, former Big Lots

Watertown - NY 3, former Sears or Christmas Tree Shops; Salmon Run Mall

Cortland - NY 13, former JoAnn Fabrics; Riverside Mall

Rome - NY 46 & 49, former rue21; Freedom Plaza (pictured above)

New Hartford - NY 5 & 5A, former Macys/Hess's/Kaufmanns; Sangertown Square

Binghamton - US 11, former Grand Union/Giant/Weis

Big Flats - CR 35, former Sears; Arnot Mall

Ithaca - NY 13/34/96, former Hobby Lobby

Auburn - NY 5 & US 20, former JCPenney; Fingerlakes Mall or NY 5 (Grant Ave)*

Colonie - Wolf Rd, former Barnes & Noble (although existing store is in Latham)

Canastota - NY 5 & 13 and CR 25, former Family Dollar or Rite Aid/Walgreens

*former Metro Mattress

Logo used to edit on the phone and free use with just text

Can't really be in Shop City with Factory Direct next door

Mattress Firm in Bayberry Plaza in Liverpool

3fifteen Expansion

3fifteen in Liverpool Plaza with updated sign

 3fifteen have three locations on SU and Elm Hills, the second being in Camillus, and Eastwood Plaza after a near-three decade absence of the Rescue Mission as described just earlier, and now a fourth location in the upcoming Mission Landing by their headquarters in the Mission District that has just started building, making it the flagship by default by the end of next year, close to where there had been a Thrifty Shopper before that has since closed, much like Eastwood. Yet maybe it could happen again in Liverpool in my late dads plaza. Thrifty Shopper had been in the former site of Big M, Carls and Fays until 2020 when it moved to the former Herb Phillipsons up CR 57 in Bayberry for more space. 3fifteen is more of a boutique that needs less room. The short-lived Palm Market left after several months due to lack of interest. A 3fifteen there would be closer to the Rescue Missions warehouse on Henry Clay Blvd, which becomes Electronics Pkwy past Vine Street and W Taft Road. Some people miss Thrifty Shopper on Old Liverpool Road, let's just say. However, another NGO/registered charity's donation bin would have to be removed from the car park, not just because there are those who dump junk at those (dad hated it when that happened in the back, as those skips aren't free, mind). I already made a list of past and future locations for Thrifty Shopper, yet this is it for 3fifteen since that's more of a niche by comparison which holds it own. Liverpool would have to be distinct from the rest so it's not as cookie cutter, if you like, or just history repeating itself. The confirmed new store is being done from scratch as opposed to an old store front being done up, which I like to first before having to start a new building site or even demolishing an old one unless it's beyond repair and/or unfeasible. I just hope the official new store and this concept comeback has more variety than the new James St one, which was mainly womens clothes and other things that just didn't appeal to me and just wasn't the same as even the old guard. Each 3fifteen if not Thrifty Shopper proper has its own unique character. (UPDATED: 7/11/25)

Former CVS locations

Waterbury, CT store. Courtesy Mike Mozart (always at the ready)

 CVS/pharmacy have had a negligible history in CNY and left behind more stores than they have open. They only have two full-fledged locations in Onondaga County, and just one with a drive-thru. Since their two biggest competitors have had to close stores as well, it's unlikely that CVS will here in the near future. Here are where they use to be, including other parts of the state:

Syracuse (east side) - NY 92; originally non-pharmacy store; later Revco; now Dollar General

Syracuse (downtown) - S Salina St; formerly Kresge/kmart; later beauty supply; now vacant

deWitt - NY 5, Shoppingtown Mall; later Fays, Eckerd, and Rite Aid; soon to be District East

Fayetteville - NY 5; now The UPS Store (only just learned of this from photos of 1981 flood)

Clay - NY 31 & 481, Great Northern Mall; now vacant, awaiting renovation with Micron coming

Auburn - NY 5 & US 20; Fingerlakes Mall; now vacant

Liverpool - CR 57 & Wetzel Rd; previously Revco; later pool supply; now Bryant & Stratton

North Syracuse - US 11; now Harbor Fright Tools

Cicero - Penn Can Mall; now Drivers Village

Hyde Park - US 9, Hyde Park Mall; now Stop & Shop

Delmar - NY 443 & 335; now medical office

Albany - NY 443; now vacant

Manlius - NY 173; now various business

Camillus - Camillus Mall; now demolished

Colonie - NY 5; Colonie Center

Westside Family Pharmacy on the Northside

Westside Family Pharmacy meets the Northside

 A local indie pharmacy serving the needs of the inner city and immigrant community are opening a second location. Westside Family Pharmacy is one of the last local drug stores left in Syracuse at a time when even the chains are struggling. In a David and Goliath twist, Rite Aid is closing stores nationwide, with the Shop City one already shuttered and the north side store on Lodi Street just having closed their pharmacy and clearing out everything else like with all remaining locations, yet is one of the only ones in CNY that didn't sell their prescriptions to Walgreens since they don't have a store on that side of town at this time (and didn't even acquire that Rite Aid in 2019), yet Kinney have had a smaller one for a decade after outgrowing a small one inside St Josephs Hospital (pictured in that article). As for this new store, it's about coming full circle. Westside will open their new Northside location in what was Fays Drugs until it was sold to Eckerd in 1997, which built an original store across Butternut Street, which became Dollar General some time after Rite Aid bought Eckerd because of overlap. The former Fays was sold to Dollar Tree, which closed a year or two ago, since they were still sister to Family Dollar a block away (in what was the old Rite Aid to boot before they opened their own standalone around the corner). Westsides flagship is located where Rite Aid and later Walgreens as well as another indie turned onetime CVS went out of business, which led to the founding of Westside in a diverse yet low-income neighborhood, which was and still is also reeling from the loss of Nojaim Bros. and later Brady Market. By this fall, Westside Northside should be open, making it the first mom and pop pharmacy there since Kress Drugs closed in the early '90s (which dated back to late Victorian times), even though it sort of moved to Upstates Almond St office near the soon-to-be-levelled-I-81 before being absorbed by Kinney. Westside will be like many small businesses and offer services that the big ones don't. With no one else covering this, it was up to me to offer this exclusive before the others catch up.

UPDATE (2/5/26): The north side store uses the name Syracuse Drugs, but lacks a real sign, while the store is small by 21st Century standards compared to the empty Rite Aid across Lodi St.

7 Brew Coffee

7 Brew building site in Melbourne, FL in 2022 (I'll get my own snap shortly)

 7 Brew Coffee are a growing chain of drive-thru coffee takeaways, with new locations in North Syracuse and Rome, with Auburn and other area on the way, but there are some they may not have considered yet. They build from scratch and they take no time at all to pop up, so if an old property is sat and no longer of any use, it can just be demolished to make way for 7 Brew, which is easier for people in cars, even though I stumbled upon the Rome one at short notice, which had led me to write this one. May not be the easiest for those of us who don't drive or get on with technology (over-60s).

deWitt or Syracuse (east side) - NY 5

Clay or Liverpool - NY 31 or CR 57 (given Micron)

Cortland - NY 281 or 13 (local chain Coffeemania are also drive-thru only, so it'd be classic David & Goliath in a small town, you know)

Ithaca - NY 13/34/96 (former Burger King)

Auburn - NY 5 (former Eckerd/Rite Aid; confirmed)

Camillus or Fairmount - W Genesee St

Oswego - NY 104

Fulton - NY 3 or 481

Oneida - NY 5 (former Cost Cutters officially proposed)

ChatGPT OpenAI express version of 7 Brew Coffee

Bowling in CNY

If a bowling alley were in downtown Syracuse today

 While sports isn't something I typically cover, one thing I've noticed over the years is that bowling alleys in Syracuse are fewer by the day. It's not as big anymore. I managed to write a list of locations of where they used to be, but I can't remember the names of most of them. It'd be too easy to get a free image of the inside of any bowling alley, and I can't find one of the outside of any open or closed. I used to have a photo of one of these, but it was ruined and later disappeared. Another one across town, I can still picture the Jerry Lewis MDA gumball machine from the mid-'80s. NBC 3 used to be the local affiliate for a national bowling show on Saturdays. In recent memory, a tournament was held at the OnCenter (Onondaga County convention center). So much for Homer Simpsons perfect 300 game. Here's where they used to strike before winding up in the gutter (that was bad).

Solvay - Milton Ave, Solvay Recreation Alleys; one of the oldest in the area and country; recently closed due to the owners death

Syracuse (Eastwood) (1) - NY 290, Eastwood Plaza; later a dance studio; now Yesteryear Antiques & Collectibles

Syracuse (Eastwood) (2) - NY 290 & now 598; Eastwood Sport Center; now Kinney Pharmacy; parking lot now Dunkin' and Papa Johns (previously ToGos)*

Syracuse (east side) (1) - NY 5 & 635; later Tilted Kilt; now KPot*

Syracuse (east side) (2) - NY 5; now Express Bottle Return

Syracuse (west side) - NY 5; now ALDI*

Auburn (1) - Pulaski St, Falcons Lanes

Auburn (2) - NY 5 & US 20, Starlite Lanes (as of April 2025)

Skaneateles - US 20, Cedar House Bowling Lanes; being rebuilt

North Syracuse - US 11, Bowling Green Lanes

Liverpool - Old Liverpool Rd, Lakeview Bowling Center

Central Square - NY 49, Green Acres Lanes

East Syracuse - Bowl-Mor Lanes, Highland Ave

New Hartford - NY 5 & 5A, Pinz; Sangertown Square; a different animal and further out, but also worth mentioning

*Demolished

Notsky, dolly and the other floofs go night bowling

Dolly, Notsky, Wuffy and Duffy keep bowling alive

This could be a spot the differences thing in magazines.