Where to Hold Adult Prom in Syracuse

Kitty and doggy are ready for the big night!

    Now in my tenth year of finding a prom in my area (even in 2020 when even the kids were out of luck, and I'm doing this for those who were deprived in 2020-21 as well as those of us of every vintage who are looking to either make up or redo like it's a test we had to take in order to earn it). While I was able to find something I could go to with just one days notice, I'm still determined to get this done, especially since Singers Karaoke Club have now decided that they won't have it this year after all because of other events being planned, even after last years revival following a long, long pause. A pride prom in Rome not just for young people has raised money, and it's on a Saturday this time, which is free if you live right in the area, but not if you have to pay more money getting there than being there, even if it's less than some events back home or starting from scratch. Going even further from town is out of the question for me and many others, even if they can drive. I wrote the list offline first before copying it here. I just wish this could be done in my backyard when they are held in one-horse towns as much as the big cities. Can't even get concerts to come here every time anymore (that's more for the sister blog). I also found where to have it in other Upstate metros, but it'd be more sporadic because I wouldn't know them all combined as well as my own backyard, of course, which is why I stay there. I will go to Rome since I can absorb that cost, as that is my only option for the time being thus far, and then back in the Mohawk Valley, a hotel in New Hartford has an adult prom in July on a Tuesday, which is rare. The town (Utica) is small, but not that small (even if you do have your own way around).
    I haven't ruled out holding adult prom in Syracuse, even if it's not in the springtime or this year, although I found a more exclusive event at short notice similar to a couple I went to several years ago. That place closed months after not long before COVID and is still vacant, yet I would buy it and use it as a small event space to let, but until then, here are the numerous options in and around the city I can come up with. Price, parking, ADA compliance and bus lines all are factored in to each venue.

Downtown/Armoury Square

Palladian Hall; N Salina St (former OnBank/M&T Bank)

Maxwells, Hanover Square; E Genesee St (formerly Elbow Room)

The Rail Line; S Clinton St

Sky Armoury; S Salina & Clinton Sts

Marriott Syracuse Downtown (has several regular proms and may be too expensive); E Onondaga, Harrison & N Warren Sts, formerly Hotel Syracuse

OnCentre (same, even though it's taxpayer property); US 11

Landmark Theatre (has hosted a few of these in the corridor and lobby); S Salina St; formerly Loews State (from studio system era under MGM); unavailable during the summer because of renovations and when there are residencies.

Liverpool

Randolph House Hotel, Electronics Pkwy & 7th North St off I-90 (Traditions of Wyndham franchise; formerly Ramada [sister chain]/Sheraton/Holiday Inn. No regular proms this year. Have gone for CD Record Fair and Easter buffet)

Cicero

Carnegie Conference Centre, E Circle Dr; Drivers Village (former Penn-Can Mall in old Denbys wing near clock tower; also no run-of-the-diploma-mill proms in 2025)

Mattydale

VFW Post 3146; Truck NY 298 & leMoyne Ave (went for late Lent chippy)

Maplewood Bar & Grill, US 11 (former Zebbs); Mattydale Plaza (former kmart plaza; formerly at Holiday Inn & Suites in Liverpool; opening this fall)

East Syracuse

The Guest House; NY 290 & Worth St (smaller venue; former LDA of CNY near Wegmans)

American Legion Post 359; NY 290 (Halloween parties and fundraisers held there)

Onondaga Hill

SRC Arena, OCC, NY 173 & 175

Camillus (in name only)/Onondaga

TK Tavern; Howlett Hill Rd, Taunton (original location off NY 5 had Salt City Collective prom twice)

Tipp Hill

Emerald Cocktail Kitchen (suggested to them and they will consider); W Fayette St

Ukrainian National Home (SCC prom moved there after old TK closed from a fire); W Wilbur Ave

Eastwood

Palace Theatre; NY 290 (has no lift to get upstairs at this time unfortunately being older and smaller)

American Legion Post #1276; NY 290 (former Friendlys; not sure if they even do this at new location)

Brewerton

Brewerton Centre for the Arts; US 11 (hosted one two years ago, yet may be too far for some people)

Syracuse (east side)

Harveys Garden (floofs had back room, yet prom could be held upstairs); E Water St

Syracuse (west side)

Singers (last resort during the day if booked as a private event since nights are ruled out)

Car washes

A car wash in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Deutschland. Courtesy Günther Hentschel.

 It seems like lately, new car washes open up left and right. Of course, they need to be cleaned, yet they seem to be an easier business to open than others with a bit less red tape. Nowadays, they are larger than ever, able to accommodate dozens of customers. Delta Sonic alone get queues several yards long. They are also the only way to get Tim Hortons in CNY. Other competitors have replaced former chains such as Babies 'R Us, Cams Pizzeria/Hardees/Hortons/ Dougs/TJs Fish Fry, an older car wash, a phone store, and other businesses. I miss the kind of full service car wash where you could have the attendant take your car through while you wait and then they clean the inside out after (this is called detail). Those must still exist. Car washes aren't nationalised, if you like. They're regional or indie. Also, get undercarriage because it prevents rust if you don't have rust already (one of my pet hates about motor cars, along with bumper stickers, dents, scratches, and bin bags in windows if you're too cheap to get them fixed).

Ko-FI

Doggy is asking for your donations!

    Like most people these days, I'm struggling to get by. I am now on Ko-Fi if you can give what you can. I know this should be with the widgets on the side if you're reading this on the desktop, and I set up a similar one years before based on someone elses, but I needed to point this out and even up the number of posts I've made to date. The crowdfunding sites have done next to nothing for me. Anything helps. Thank you for the help. It doesn't directly support running this blog, yet I will eventually need a new laptop because mine will lose support in six months' time because it's on Windows 10 and is too old to be upgraded, and I can only get another used one that may be no better. I may only be able to donate any of my old laptops to my NGO ISP in LA and get a tax receipt if I qualify if not get an affordable and compatible one there, but other priorities have been grating at me this past year, and it's hard to establish yourself at a later age (she won't say which one, mind). I don't get to do half as much as I used to between the events of recent years in the world and in my own life. I can't be like Ralph Kramden chasing every get rich quick scheme because it doesn't usually work. I will land on my feet like my kitties always do. Seeing all these properties just sit there for years shows that none of us are exempt from the economy. At least help me until I can find my own way and the country does too.

 

Family Video today

Cortland store last year

    After going by the former Family Video in Auburn yesterday and looking at a now outdated post here from almost a decade ago on which I only added tags for reference, I felt it was time to look into what has happened to the last of the video chains as far as this state goes, although all but a handful were in Western New York, with a few in CNY, the Finger Lakes (Rochester counts as there and WNY) or Twin Tiers. All vacant or TBD unless indicated.

Auburn - US 20 & NY 38A; now FlynnStoned

Cortland - N Main St/US 11 & NY 41

Liverpool - Morgan & Buckley Rds; later Zara Fashions (no relation to the chain); now closed

Amherst - Eggert Rd

Lackawanna - Ridge Rd

Jamestown - NY 60 & 394

Dunkirk - Central Ave; now Dollar General

Elmira - College Ave

Lancaster - NY 21

Lockport - NY 31

Niagara Falls (1) - US 62 (Niagara Falls Blvd)

Niagara Falls (2) - US 62 West (Pine Ave)

North Chili - NY 33

Orchard Park - NY 277

Rome - N James St

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

Service Merchandise

If Service Merchandise were open now. Courtesy Meta AI.

 I've been meaning to write about Service Merchandise for several months, but I needed to find more locations since I only know the two that were in my area. They were a chain of catalogue showrooms, and my generation can remember the print edition, competing with Sears, JCPenney and Spiegel, before the internet (Amazon in particular) made it obsolete by 2002. There were subsidiaries like Mr How (previously HomeOwners), The Lingerie Store, The Toy Store, and Zims Jewellers, all of which I have only just learned about or just didn't notice in the old days. Due to having to deal with the here and now, and how long ago this all was, despite being from living memory, most downstate locations are more vague, and Upstate ones are less so if I know the area enough, but I will update as I know more and can commit to finding out where they all are and what is there today. Any input is always appreciated. TBD unless indicated (which is why I can't cover every chain, and even a wild guess can be disproven).

deWitt/Fayetteville - Wegmans Plaza, NY 5 & 92; demolished for current Wegmans in 1994 and/or later Chase-Pitkin, American Signature Furniture, and Value City Furniture; now Hobby Lobby

Cicero - Marketplace Plaza/Mall, US 11 & E Circle Dr; demolished by 2002 for current plaza

Huntington

Massapequa - Sunrise Mall

Montgomery - NY 208; now Staples

Lawrence

Nanuet

Woodhaven

Lake Grove

Albany - Northway Mall, NY 5 (most likely; demolished by 2004; now Target et al)

Schenectady - NY 5

Wilton - Saratoga Mall, NY 50 & CR 102

Yorktown Heights - Jefferson Valley Mall, US 6 & NY 6N; now H&M

Henrietta - NY 252

Irondequoit - US/NY 104

Greece - US/NY 104

Kenmore - NY 384

Plattsburgh - Champlain Centre, CR 26

Fishkill - Dutchess Mall, US 9; closed 1995; now vacant

Kingston - US 9W

Poughkeepsie - South Hills Mall, US 9

New Hartford - NY 5A

CVS lite

Small and pokey CVS in Glastonbury, CT from none other than Mike Mozart

 CVS/pharmacy have been struggling to regain relevance, much like their two main competitors. They've launched a new tactic by launching a dozen new locations that are just pharmacies and not much else. In CNY, they haven't had the best history and are sporadic in the region. In contrast, there have been stores without pharmacies (even Rite Aid had one in downtown Syracuse a block from a regular store [ex-Woolworth/now-DGX] and CVS/sans pharmacy [ex-kmart] in the old days). What CVS could do is have these truncated pharmacies in certain spots. One would be on SU Hill, where they have one last non-Rx location, which stuns newcomers to the area, who would have to go to Target or Manlius if they wish to have their scripts stay with CVS. Walgreens turned a former bank at Moyers Corners in Baldwinsville into a smaller store instead of converting the old Fays turned Rite Aid to cut costs, which is now Planet Fitness, so maybe CVS could do the same thing, and there'd even be a drive-thru at the ready that can be converted for pharmacy use. These mini-pharmacies could open where there isn't one nearby, which would help seniors and others without transport since the mail and even Amazon aren't always reliable. On Syracuses near west side, CVS briefly took over an indie, which was small by current standards for a regular store, yet Walgreens closed a few blocks away, leaving another local place to fill the vacuum. On the east side, Fays Cornerdrug were in the Madison Irving medical building at the foot of the hill, which I think had a pharmacy and just a few things, yet we covered them earlier already, since they also bought out mom and pop stores, mostly in small towns.
 They say less is more, and it'll be a little more challenging to come up with austere express locations for CVS since I tried for the usual, but events of the past several years have made growth difficult. They just can't be near Target or other pharmacy chains, of course. Maybe this could work. Just think smaller.

Syracuse (east side) - former Marine Midland/Key Bank; E Adams St

Syracuse (downtown) - former Sibleys/RKO Keith; S Salina St

Syracuse (north side) - Destiny USA; one of various hallway vacancies

Syracuse (south side) - former Acme/Carls/Fays/Dollar Tree; Turnpike Centre; NY 173 & 80

Canastota - former Family Dollar; NY 5 & 13 and CR 25 (since they won't open a full-fledged store in the former Rite Aid/Walgreens across the street)

Liverpool - former Café 407; Tulip St (no pharmacy in village since indie on CR 57 closed in the '90s)

Auburn - Fingerlakes Mall; NY 5 & US 20 (past location, with or without pharmacy)

deWitt - former Party City (part); Marshalls Homegoods Plaza; NY 5 (full-fledged store was in Shoppingtown until late '70s when replaced by Fays)

Westvale - former Tops/P&C (part); Westvale Plaza; NY 5 (Target up W Genesee St in Fairmount, yet no pharmacy in plaza since Fays closed in 1997 and store became Family Dollar)

Brewerton - US 11 (vacant property listed on Facebook Marketplace)

Mattydale - former Eckerd/Rite Aid/Walgreens; US 11 & Malden Rd (even though it could be a full-sized store; this part of town has been weak in retail in recent years, but more on that another day)

DHgate

 

Maybe this dolly is on DHGate like the other place.

Try your luck and win big! Download the DHgate app and spin to win your $100 coupon. https://dhgate.allapp.link/d/2Run9G

Pizza Hut in CNY

Classic red mansard roof design in Saratoga County in the Capital Region, 2014.

Tyler A. McNeil, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 Pizza Hut aren't as big as they once were. So many have closed over the past few decades in CNY alone. I have to dig through my mental archive again for this one. They remain in East Syracuse, Liverpool, Cicero, Auburn, and an express location in Niagara Falls, ONT (the boys' side) for that matter. Here's where they "panned" out (to think Craig Robinson, who used to do the adverts, did one with Shaq for the General, since the NBA icon has a Papa Johns franchise and specialty pizza to boot):

Syracuse (Eastwood) (1) - Shop City Plaza, Swansea Dr & Lea La; later Antonios and a barbecue (Salt City BBQ?); now City Laundromat; was truncated in late '90s before closing

Syracuse (Eastwood) (2) - NY 290; later Papa Johns; now Liberty Tax*

Fayetteville - Highbridge St; now Twin Trees*

deWitt - NY 5; demolished; now Calibre Collision

Mattydale - US 11; now X-Crispy Chicken

Oneida - NY 5; now vacant

Syracuse (Fairmount) - W Genesee St; later Pudgies; now Stellas Diner

Chittenango - NY 5 & 13; now Chittenango Pizza

Cortland - NY 13; now Hydes Diner

Syracuse (south side/Valley) - US 11, Valley Plaza*

Nedrow - US 11; now vacant

Baldwinsville - Downer St, River Mall; becoming TJs Cannabis (never thought I'd be putting that on) 

*Pizza Hut Delivery

Former Dollar Tree locations in CNY

Forgot that I had taken this one myself. Glad that I did now that it's gone. Valley store, March 2010.

 The closure of the Dollar Tree on Syracuses south side prompted not only this post, but the last one on Acme, which was there generations earlier, according to Syracuse.com. To boot, I was fortunate to have preserved the store on camera, just I have several others because you never know these days. The fact that it's not in the best part of town only makes it worse, and the sister store up the hill left a year or two earlier. Inflation ended "Everything's $1.00" forever, just like five and dime went away before that. It's also why smaller competitors with the same price point became fewer by the day, and now you just have to run it as a chain with low prices, but that's just not enough anymore. Here's where they fell:

deWitt - NY 5, Shoppingtown Mall; we'll leave it there (take Doris Days advice); moved to former Seamans Furniture/Record Theatre up the road

Syracuse (north side) (1) - Butternut & Lodi Sts; previously Fays

Syracuse (north side) (2) - US 11; previously Big M/Wilson Farms/Dullys; now Dollar General

Syracuse (south side/Valley) - NY 173 & 80; Turnpike Centre; previously Acme/Carls/Fays (pictured)

Oswego - NY 104; TBD

Mattydale - US 11, Mattydale Plaza; previously Fays (next to kmart)

Clay - NY 31 & 481; Marketfair North Plaza; Only One (subsidiary later absorbed by main chain; moved to COR Plaza in Liverpool down the road; later Tuesday Morning?)

Acme in CNY

ACME alive and well in Fairfield County (some people still don't even think it's a real company!)

 The recent closure of a Dollar Tree across town pointed out that it was an Acme a lifetime ago. I have heard that they were in CNY, but have left before I was born to where people here or who have left assume they don't exist anymore if they don't keep up or get around. Owner Albertsons ended their proposed merger with Kroger and a legal case is pending at this writing. Acme is also associated with Warner Bros. cartoons that we grew up with (Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner mostly) due to the generic nature of the name. This is not the same Acme that is in the Midwest. As for this Acme, the tri-state have the closest stores today, which reach all the way to the mid-Atlantic. Now here are where they were Upstate in simpler times, even right next to competitors like Victory or Grand Union in the same plaza (which was normal in those days). Additional thanks to Groceteria for the usual deep dig.

Syracuse (Valley/south side) (1) - NY 173 & 80; Turnpike Centre; later Carls/Fays/Dollar Tree

Syracuse (Valley/south side) (2) - US 11; Valley Plaza; later Chicago Markets, A&P, Tops and P&C (last two twice)

Syracuse (east side) (1) - Nottingham Plaza, Nottingham & Tecumseh Rds; later Fays? (even with Drumlins down the road); now Kinney Pharmacy (half of original plaza long since demolished). Was also down the block and became Victory (the plot thickens!).

Syracuse (east side) (2) - E Fayette St; long gone

Syracuse (east side) (3) - W Raynor St; now Fallon Lecture Hall at SU

Syracuse (east side) (4) - Westcott St; lost to the ages

Syracuse (south side) - South Ave; also not preserved by posterity since

Syracuse (Eastwood) - Shop City Plaza; later Green Hills Farms; now Black Friday Deals? (TBD)

Syracuse (west side) (1) - S Geddes St; now Sabatinos Pizza, Deli & Grocery (cornershop)

Syracuse (west side) (2) - W Onondaga St; now Helio Health

Syracuse (north side) - US 11/N Salina St; long gone due to redevelopment of Little Italy since then

Syracuse (Fairmount) - NY 173 & W Genesee St; Fairmount Fair Mall/Plaza; later Caldor and Walmart; now Target (both previous buildings long since demolished, of course)

deWitt (1) - NY 5; kmart Plaza (now Erie Canal Centre); later OfficeMax; now Michaels

deWitt (2)- NY 5; Shoppingtown Mall; demolished by 1975 when mall was enclosed; you know the rest (let's give it one)

Liverpool (village) - 1st St; later P&C and Big M; store long gone

Liverpool (Galeville) - Old Liverpool Rd & Electronics Pkwy; later Manns Midstate/Big M/Carls/Fays/Thrifty Shopper; now Palm Market (I know this one a bit more)

Mattydale - US 11; now Dees Diner

Syracuse (Lyncourt) - NY 298; now Quality Countertops

East Syracuse - Kirkville Rd & Kinne St; later Smiths; now Dollar Tree

Fayetteville - NY 257; now Ace Hardware

North Syracuse - US 11 & S Bay Rd; Northern Lights Plaza; various businesses been and gone; plaza now owned by Raymour & Flanigan, which should attract more tenants, despite the economy

Café Kubal

Eastwood location taken at short notice from the car

 Café Kubal in Syracuse are a local coffee chain now in their fourth decade. However, several locations have closed since then. Competition from both national chains and other indies alike, as well as the economy have been a challenge to Kubals business like anyones. The SU Hill store once had a deal with 3fifteen next door where you fill a bag with donations and you get a ticket for a free coffee, but they had fallen out, and Kubal moved a few blocks away to Golisano Childrens Hospital at SUNY Upstate, making it limited to visitors and patients. The current downtown location is in the old Dey Brothers building and is now the de facto flagship, while the Creekside Commons one is just across Armory Square. The near northside location is now just the roastery, which the Eastwood one once was, and will rebrand later this year. The North Syracuse location on US 11 and W Taft Road at Sweetheart Corners was a onetime Tim Hortons. New locations are planned for the future as this is just as common with the big chains. The former leMoyne firehouse is scheduled to be opened this spring. May be too late for the other uni hill as their bridges may otherwise be burned as far as a regular location, and there are already a handful of other options on or close to campus now. No need for me to come up with new spots myself, since that's too easy, and of course, it's not my job anyway (I usually do this because that's my trademark, even though I can't really encourage someone elses). Here are where Café Kubal once were brewing:

Syracuse (downtown) - Marriott Syracuse Downtown (née Hotel Syracuse), S Warren St; previously Hardees; now vacant

Syracuse (east side/SU Hill) - Marshall Square Mall, Marshall St & University Ave; former uni bookshop and bar; now Salt City Coffee (local competitor)

Syracuse (Eastwood) - NY 290, Eastwood Plaza; closed for rebrand; former Thrifty Shopper; roastery formerly located in part of Sacred Melody (half that closed in early '00s that is also vacant, but has building site permit for liquor store/former Hooches Furniture/Carls?/True Value Hardware) (pictured)

Syracuse (near northside) - N Townsend St & Hawley Ave; on-again, off again flagship; roastery only right now (between NY 290 & 5 and I-690)

Manlius - NY 92 & 257; former Bank of America; soon to be Holland Farms; drive-up ATM remains

Auburn - Genesee St; only non-Syracuse area location to date; only open two months' time

North Syracuse - US 11 & W Taft Rd, Sweetheart Corners; previously Tim Hortons; now vacant

Fantasy future location, but not sure where to put it.

Zara

Zara in Los Angeles County. Mike Mozart made the trip for us so we don't have to!

 Someone on Facebook suggested Spanish chain Zara for Destiny USA. Makes sense since it's the sort you'd find there, and sister sites Walden Galleria in Cheektowaga (Buffalo) and Crossgates Mall in Guilderland (Albany) have the only Upstate ones right now, and downstate is a given. A rival from that country opened several years ago back in CNY. While this isn't my sort of place, I may be able to work this in quickly since it's so-called fast fashion and I get carried away doing these posts, you know.

Syracuse - Destiny USA; former Forever 21/Bonwit Teller, Nordstrom Rack, Bon-Ton or Victorias Secret Pink Store (there are also other hallway vacancies, but those are always hard to keep up with)

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

Johnson City - Oakdale Commons; CR 56, 65 & 85 off NY 17/I-86; former Burlington?

Greece - Greece Ridge Mall, NY 104; former Sibleys/Kaufmanns/Macys

Poughkeepsie - Poughkeepsie Galleria, US 9; former Montgomery Ward

Big Flats - Arnot Mall; former McCurdys/Iszards/The Bon-Ton

Watertown - Salmon Run Mall, NY 3 & CR 100; former Dicks Sporting Goods

Auburn - Fingerlakes Mall, NY 5 & US 20; former Rex or JCPenney

Rebuilding Ovid

Main St (NY 96A & 414) in Ovid in happier times. Very special courtesy Jo Zimny. CC-by-NC-ND 2.0.

 21 January is a day no one in the small Finger Lakes village of Ovid shall forget when an electrical fire broke out in a flat upstairs from Big M on Main St (once an IGA, according to one local resident), taking out four other local businesses and several other apartments. I wanted to use my AI skills that I've picked up this past year and try to come up with new versions of all five of these mom and pop establishments, which also included Uptown Diner (which needed more attempts than the others combined), Eva's Laundry, Italian Kitchen and Seneca Coffee House. Most of these buildings seem to date back to the Victorian and Edwardian eras, although some like this can go as far back as Regency. There are priceless memories attached to these places, of course, and not even I.M. Pei himself could truly replace these if he were still alive. It's still early days right now, but rebuilding is on the agenda once the debris is cleared and the weather is cooperative for a building site. Another restaurant that had been around much longer closed several years ago on the outskirts of town, but the two from Main St probably either don't want to be away from the rest of the commercial district, or because of events from years past which we won't get into here. There had been another fire a decade earlier, however.
 Seniors are provided a bus twice a week to go to Walmart and Tops to go shopping for the time being, since many don't drive anymore or won't go all the way to Waterloo or Wegmans in Geneva themselves (you're on your own there or if you're younger). Of course, small business gets taken for granted and you just never know. It can be months if not years before all these are back in new homes. If buildings like the ones lost could be designed, then new apartments could also go on top, given the housing crisis. Several ways to donate are available to show your support. We'll have to check on Ovid down the road to see how they come on like other places big and small that suffered disaster in recent memory.

'50s dinerette which may be too small, even for Ovid

This may be a bit more possible than a standalone.

Switched to Grok on X and got a more outlying result.

Retro Uptown Diner that won't work in winter!

The little local launderette. Don't know if Eva is.

The local coffee shop, or at least the roastery.

Big M, in a design that should fit on the block.

Italian Kitchen, my kind of restaurant!

A more possible scenario for todays small town.

Another Big M cornershop with Craiyon

Might be more fitting for Big M

Needed to create the outside of Evas Laundry

The real Big M in the early '90s (unknown)

New apartment building (harder to make)

Upstairs flats above storefront (too simplistic)

Ovid Arms, but I got two pastoral mock Tudor cottages

Ovid Arms, but a bit too posh and townie

These are also too upscale for a rural community

Wegmans in West Mifflin

Upper Providence Township store near Philadelphia and Patti laBelle. Courtesy Montgomery County Planning Commission.

 There is buzz about Wegmans opening their newest store in Cranberry Township in Butler County north of Pittsburgh, over by the UPMC Mario Lemieux facility (retired French Canadian Pittsburgh Penguins centre). Going the other way half as far within Alleghany County is the borough of West Mifflin, where Century III, once one of the biggest malls in the country, had been, which I heard of through a car dealership nearby. Steel and Steelers (that's as far as I go with teams!) country is dominated by Giant Eagle, Martins and Shop 'n Save, and I might like to go that way for an event in the summer. Wegmans are infamously stingey when it comes to opening new stores and only do no more than three a year, forgoing Upstate NY in recent years. They closed their store in a former JCPenney in Natick Mall outside Boston because it just didn't work, but instead, Wegmans will replace a mall. The land has been largely undeveloped since the mall closed several years ago after tenant after tenant left since the late '90s, including JCPenney, locally based Kaufmanns before the Macys merger, and a short-lived Wards. While it's normal for most areas to have a few Wegmans each, newer markets usually have less than a handful compared to legacy ones. Mixed reactions on Facebook would go from knowing the chain from out of state to it being new to them. The chains footprint in Pennsylvania would be concentrated on opposite sides of the state and Centre County. Altoona, Johnstown, York and Hanover would be overlooked. Back to West Mifflin, the new Wegmans would have to compete right across the road from Giant Eagle and Walmart. Located on PA 51 & 885. Washington Mall in South Strabane Township in Washington County would work too, since there's almost nothing left there either, while people in other parts of the northeast hold out for their own store, which one may take for granted until you have to move away (they rarely close any today). It may take until a third century before more areas ever get a Wegmans because of how picky they are, avoiding overkill and carefully planning. They're even looking at close to home, but that's for another day.

Big Lots! Part 2

Marion, OH store; February 2022.

JBTHEMILKER, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 I may have done Big Lots! before, but now they're on the way out, and even if they're sold, the current economic climate doesn't hold well for them. The last post on Trader Joes led to this since some Big Lots! locations could be sold to them if it'll work. DFW-based rivals Tuesday Morning have already gone out of business. Rhode Islands Ocean State Job Lot would make sense in some of these, and they have confirmed that they shall buy several locations in the Northeast including Bayberry. Ollies Bargain Outlet will get many other locations, but they already have a strong presence in CNY alone.

Auburn - NY 5; former kmart*

Buffalo - S Ogden St; South Ogden Plaza

Cortland - NY 281; former Real Deals

deWitt - NY 5; former Price Chopper; now Spectrum

Elmira - Lake St*

Kingston - US 9W*

Liverpool - CR 57; former Price Chopper, The Shops at Seneca Mall; becoming Ocean State Job Lot*

Mattydale - US 11; former Tops/P&C*

Middletown - NY 211; Walkill Plaza

Oswego - NY 104*

Plattsburgh - NY 3; former Big Lots

Poughkeepsie - Burnett Blvd; former Caldor

Syracuse - Onondaga Blvd; former Fays; now Goodwill

Utica - NY 5; former Chicago Markets/Great American*

Watertown - NY 3*

*Outgoing

Trader Joe's

Fairfield County location, once again from Mike Mozart (who better?!).

 Let's take a break from department stores. Trader Joes may seem too easy, but even in Upstate NY, they certainly have plenty of room to grow. I first went in Chicago, then Rochester, and it finally came to deWitt, even though I don't go as much anymore. There are only five others Upstate and several in the Tri-State. The Capital Region has two (the only area in NY outside the city with more than one so far), and may get a third, despite recent events I won't get into here. Aldi North own the chain, which separated form Aldi South decades ago, who run the US and UK divisions, and are split in Germany and Europe. I may use former or outgoing Big Lots locations unless they're too close to competitors or where there's not a lot of money (you know how it is), although that will lead to another post for later, being a different animal. Trader Joes also don't need that much space.

Auburn - NY 5 & US 20; Fingerlakes Crossing or NY 5; outgoing Big Lots

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

Cortlandville - NY 281; former kmart

Elmira - Lake St; outgoing Big Lots

Glenmont - NY 32 & Fuera Bush Rd, Glenmont Plaza (TBC)

Kingston - US 9W; outgoing Big Lots

Liverpool - NY 31; former Price Chopper, COR Plaza

Middletown - NY 211; former Big Lots, Walkill Plaza

Oswego - NY 104; outgoing Big Lots

Plattsburgh - NY 3; former Big Lots

Poughkeepsie - US 9; former Natures Harvest; South Square Plaza

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

Utica - NY 5; former Chicago Markets/Great American/outgoing Big Lots

West Nyack - NY 59, former ShopRite or Stop & Shop

Watertown - NY 3; outgoing Big Lots

Jordan Marsh

Peabody, MA store, Northway Mall, 1980s. Courtesy Salem State Archives.

 Jordan Marsh & Company were once New Englands largest department store, but may have only had no more than two locations in New York, as there is no paper trail of them being anywhere else in the state, which made this post a challenge, so I have to fill the vacuum with a few from out of state. They were yet another one from the past that I'd heard of when going shopping with Grandma in the Capital District, and I even had a box of theirs at my old place (I must have binned that too). They even made it to Florida, even though that had separate management. While Macys took over Jordan Marsh along with several other chains like Bambergers, Abraham & Strauss and Sterns, the Hudson Valley store went another way, even though the former G. Fox and Filene's didn't become Macys until 2006.

Albany (Guilderland) - Crossgates Mall, US 20; now Macys

Poughkeepsie - Poughkeepsie Galleria, US 9; later Sears; now vacant

Boston (downtown) - Downtown Crossing; flagship; now Macys

Peabody, MA - Northway Mall, MA 114 & 128; later Macys; now Nordstrom (pictured)

Natick, MA - Natick Mall; later JCPenney and Wegmans; now vacant (covered earlier)

Filene's and Filene's Basement

Manchester, NH store at Pondview Terrace. Courtesy John Blower. CC by NC ND 2.0.

 Boston-based Filene's were another chain I got to know in Albany County. Trailblazing subsidiary Filene's Basement were their closeout chain (then-rival Macys had Macys Closeout), but like Sears Outlet from the parent chain, it would be spun off into a separate company before going out of business themselves. Because Kaufmanns were already west of the Capital Region, Filenes proper were never in CNY, WNY, or Twin Tiers. The bulk of the main chain became Macys, although there is an exception or two, while the other one is more ambiguous since I only knew the one in my area down cellar from the onetime sister chain. Filenes Basement survives today as an e-tailer, but it's just not the same, of course. As for the original Filenes, I just have Upstate, a few downstate and one non-NY store to save time.

Albany (Guilderland) - Crossgates Mall, US 20; now Macys

Kingston - Hudson Valley Mall, US 9W; later Macys; now vacant

Manchester, NH - Pondview Terrace (pictured)

Poughkeepsie - Poughkeepsie Galleria, US 9; first store became Steinbach; later DSW and Dicks; now Best Buy and Target. Second store previously G. Fox; now Macys

Queens (Fresh Meadows) - Filenes Basement; TBD

Rotterdam - Rotterdam Square Mall (now Viaport), NY 337; previously Hess's; later Macys; now NYS Taxation call center

Syracuse - Carousel Center (now Destiny USA); Filenes Basement; now Finish Line?

Walkill - Galleria at Crystal Run; now Macys

West Nyack - Palisades Center, NY 303 & 59; now Macys

Former Macy's Locations

Macys in Sangertown Square Mall, New Hartford

 Macy's have been around since the Victorian era like so many other department store chains, but unfortunately, have had to close stores in recent and past years, and will have to do so this year. They have only expanded into Upstate when owner Federated merged with May Department Stores a decade ago, absorbing Filenes and Kaufmanns, as well as Marshall-Fields in the Midwest to widespread protest. Here are where Macys have been and gone.

CNY

Syracuse (downtown) - S Salina St (small early store); various

Cicero - Macys Closeout; Penn-Can Mall; now Drivers Village

deWitt - Shoppingtown Mall, NY 5; previously Addis & Deys, Sibleys and Kaufmanns; you-know-what will be covered later

Clay - Great Northern Mall, NY 31; previously Sibleys and Kaufmanns; now Dunk & Bright

New Hartford - Sangertown Square, NY 5 & 5A; previously Hess's and Kaufmanns; now vacant (pictured above)

Rochester

Irondequoit - Irondequoit Mall; previously Sibleys and Kaufmanns; now vacant (pictured below)

Henrietta - Marketplace Mall, NY 15 & 252; previously Sibleys and Kaufmanns; now vacant

Greece - The Mall at Greece Ridge, NY 104; previously Sibleys and Kaufmanns; only Upstate store scheduled to close

Irondequoit Mall outside Rochester, 2013. CC by 2.0.

Buffalo

Hamburg - McKinley Mall, NY 179; previously Sibleys and Kaufmanns; Macys Home Store was previously L.L. Berger and Kaufmanns Home Store; both stores now vacant or TBD

Wheatfield - Summit Park Mall (later The Summit; now the NISE Center); Macys Closeout; previously Hens & Kelly; now vacant

Harris Hill/Clarence - Eastern Hills Mall, NY 78; previously Hengerers, Sibleys and Kaufmanns; later Niagara Emporium; now under development (may get a separate post)

Hudson Valley/Capital Region/Downstate (due to the inherent long history and vast size of the chain and tri-state, only a mere selection will be listed here)

Rotterdam - Rotterdam Square Mall (now Viaport), NY 337; previously Hess's and Filenes; now NYS Taxation call center

Kingston - Hudson Valley Mall, US 9W; previously Hess's and Filenes; TBD

White Plains - Galleria at White Plains, NY 119; previously Abraham & Strauss and Sterns; now vacant

New York - 6th Ave and 13th & 14th Sts; first area store; long gone (original store in Haverhill, MA)

Hengerer's

A Hengerer-on: AI store with double fixed logo.

 W.M. Hengerer Co. were yet another in WNYs long line of lost luxury department store chains that couldn't catch up by the latter half of the 20th century. From cookery classes to restaurants, they were more than a store, ahead of their time and once claiming to be the biggest between downstate and Cook County (several tried to be in those days). Sibleys took over in 1987, only for them to go as well a couple years later. Wikipedia only mentions the downtown Hengerer's and one suburban store. The Department Store Museum managed to get the "Heng" of it (even they can't always find everything).

Buffalo (downtown) (1) - 259 Main St; original store; long gone (dates back to Victorian era)

Buffalo (downtown) (2) - 268 Main St; now The Salty Dog Barbershop and Crowley Web ad agency

Buffalo (downtown) (3) - 469 Main St; now laFayette Court

Amherst - NY 5 & Eggert Rd; now offices

Tonawanda - Pool Plaza, NY 324 & Delaware Rd; now Planet Fitness?

West Seneca - Seneca Mall (now The Shops at Seneca Mall), NY 240; likely Sibleys for a couple years before it moved to Cheektowaga for another brief stint (see earlier post); mall demolished

Clarence/Harris Hill - Eastern Hills Mall, NY 78; later Sibleys, Kaufmanns, Macys and Niagara Emporium; mall under redevelopment

L.L. Berger

AI store with real logo (couldn't fix another fake one)

 On a roll with WNY chains, and L.L. Berger are the latest. They were on the posh end, and had covered the area from the Edwardian era until the early '90s. Some things Wikipedia just can't do. Finally decided to launch a WNY tag because of the recent focus there.

Buffalo (downtown) (1) - 500 Main St; original store; now Buffalo Cigars

Buffalo (downtown) (2) - 514 Main St; now The Belasario

Cheektowaga (1) - Thruway Plaza (later Mall)

Cheektowaga (2) - Walden Galleria

Tonawanda - Sheridan Plaza, US 62

West Seneca - Seneca Mall (now The Shops at West Seneca), CR 137 & 91; old mall demolished

Amherst - Northtown Plaza, US 62 & NY 333; Station 12

Lockport - Lockport Mall, NY 78

Clarence - Transitowne Plaza, NY 5 & 78

Buffalo - 510 Elmwood Ave, now Mythos Restaurant

Hamburg - McKinley Mall, NY 179; later Kaufmanns Home Store and likely Macys outpost; now vacant

Jenss

Jenss through AI lens. Courtesy Meta Platforms, Inc.

 Back to WNY, going from Hens to Jenss! This started in Niagara County rather than Erie County. While the chain existed all the way to the start of the millennium, it would go the way of its local competitors. I just wish I got to know that area more in those days.

 

AI fantasy mall location. Even the bins are well made.

Amherst - Boulevard Mall, US 62; flagship; later Kaufmanns and Macys Mens Store; supposed to become Boulevard Place after JCPenney gives up eminent domain struggle (unlike their old rivals)

Harris Hill/Clarence - Eastern Hills Mall, NY 78; becoming a lifestyle center

Wheatfield - Summit Place Mall; now the Summit/NISE Center

Niagara Falls - NY 378

Tonawanda - Main & Niagara Sts; Jenss Twin Ton; previously Zuckmaier Bros.; long gone

Hens & Kelly

Well-done AI Hens & Kelly. Courtesy Meta Platforms, Inc.

 WNY have had a plethora of department store chains of their own, and Hens & Kelly were one of them. While this just laid an egg in my nest, they were only in Erie County for nine decades. They were one of the first stores in the region to offer S&H Green Stamps. Here's where they roosted (of course, this had nothing to do with chickens! This wasn't in St Olaf, mind!):

Buffalo (downtown) - 478 Main St; flagship; now Social Security

South Buffalo - NY 16; now Trocaire on Seneca

Lackawanna - Abbott Rd; L.B. Smith Plaza; previously Edwards; now Rent-A-Center?

Buffalo (1) - US 62 & NY 33; long since demolished

Clarence/Williamsville - Transitowne Plaza, NY 78 & 5; now Planet Fitness?

Hamburg - South Shore Plaza, US 20; now Walmart

Amherst - Northtown Plaza, US 62 & NY 324; now Station 12, the areas answer to District East

West Seneca - Southgate Plaza, NY 277

Cheektowaga - Como Mall, NY 277; now Appletree Business Park

East Aurora - Aurora Village Shopping Center, US 20A; now T.J. Maxx?

Wheatfield - Summit Park Mall; later Macys Closeout; now The Summit/NISE Center

Buffalo (2) - US 62, Langley Plaza; previously Edwards

Mid-Hudson Memories

Gnax the red fox; his species are Marists mascot

 From 1997 to 2000, I lived in Dutchess County while away at school. While I won't go into the personal aspects of that too much here, it had to be done. This year would be the 25th anniversary of when I graduated from there, but a Smiths reunion is more likely now than one with my former colleagues (one person from that time knows what I mean). I even wrote to one recently, but that ship has sailed. There is an annual do with those of every vintage up to that time, but I don't know.

    As for what to put here, I finally got to go to ShopRite after only knowing it from then-UPN 9 and WB 11 (more on them on our sister blog). Grand Union provided some familiarity, yet I only went to Price Chopper rarely since that was one of many chains in town that we had back home. I discovered Stop & Shop, which was then sister to Tops, the latter bought some of the others stores that overlapped with Hannaford after the Ahold Delhaize merger. I went to Walgreens for the first time since they did not return to CNY until 2006. There was a dollar store called Just-a-Buck, which we covered years earlier. Rhino Records, which spun off of the label after it was sold to Time Warner, had locations in Poughkeepsie and New Paltz close to college campuses. After Caldor left CNY after two years' time, I had just as long before the whole chain closed. I can't recall if I ever went to Adams Fairacre Farms, the premier local chain in the Hudson Valley.  There were Poughkeepsie Galleria (Destiny USAs sister mall), South Hills Mall and Hudson Valley Mall. My stablemates and I would shop in Ulster and Dutchess Counties and had the minibus. I would take the chartered coach or railway home to visit.
    There was an indie video store across US 9 from where I was and they would sometimes have what I wanted. Even a couple delis were close by. Discovered Chinese buffet down the road. Saw Revco get absorbed by CVS and the last leg of Fays as Eckerd opened. Went to IGA and for the last time A&P. Got ice creams at Dairy Queen (not near home then) or Holy Cow in Red Hook (better off there). Only heard of G. Fox in recent years, and Filenes had been back for some time once I got to the mall. The furry fox I used for this post is in the one for G. Fox and also represents the mascot for Marist College, one of the three private schools in town, and an alum turned staff member of that place worked nights where I lived to boot. It'd be too easy to put a photo of a business or even landscape of the river itself.

   Despite the area being a bedroom community, I only got to take the MetroNorth Hudson Line twice to New York City since it wasn't that simple in those days, and it's not an everyday thing for everyone there; some not going down river for months or even years at a time. I only went once before with my family and three times this century to date, twice to see Paul McCartney, but that's for "Another Day"!
    Mid-Hudson Memories was going to be the name used for a segment on a short-lived user feature on the site for the Poughkeepsie Journal site after a rare visit in 2010 to see Yes at Mid-Hudson Civic Center (on the music blog), but I had to get on to the life I had in that day, and the feature became dated and obscure anyway. I just know I was still running riot with retail when I was in town. It has come on even more since like anywhere, despite all the stagnation and stagflation across the country these days.
    Because of my limitations, I doubt I'll ever get a hundred miles of there again. Haven't even made it to the tri-state proper since 2009, several months before halfway north to Albany, which I'm lucky to even get to once a year as it is. Just as people from my hometown or local alums who live elsewhere now can't all make it over yet once any time of year because of the costs and/or current routines. Maybe someday, I'll make it back. If I do go to events in the NYC region, I could stop along the way once I have my driving licence and own car, although I'd have to sort out the city itself (you know how it is).

Wells & Coverly's

Wells & Coverly's Wells-made AI. Courtesy Meta Platforms, Inc.

    Wells & Coverly's were a mens department store dating back to the Victorian period which had been in downtown Syracuse since the Edwardian one, yet I only just learned that they were actually from Rensselaer County in the Capital District, despite my family's decades-long ties to that area (they may have known this). Near home, the painted sign remains as a reminder of when people dressed posh to go into town to shop (especially around the festive period). In and even more so outside Onondaga County, there is little information if the stores closed generations ago and/or I haven't been to those areas in some time, although Wells & Coverly still existed in my lifetime, details don't always get preserved by posterity or I'd really have to become the Lucy Worsley of retail (she finds everything)!

Syracuse (downtown) - S Salina St; now Sky Armory (top two floors) and Champs and Scholars (lower floor)

Syracuse (Fairmount) - W Genesee St, Fairmount Fair Mall; now several chains

deWitt - NY 5, Shoppingtown Mall; TBD (you know the rest)

Oswego (1) - W 1st St?

Oswego (2) - US (now NY) 104?

Troy (1) - 336-338 River St and 13-17 4th St (now US 4 South and North); flagship store; various

Troy (2) - 70-72 State St; TBD

Hoosick Falls - NY 22

Walkill - The Galleria at Crystal Run

Worcester, MA - Ware-Pratt

E.W. Edwards & Son

AI Edwards after some editing. Courtesy Meta.

 It's a new year and month, yet there's another department store chain that didn't stick around here for me to get to that was right in my backyard. E.W. Edwards & Son had but a few stores in CNY, and I've heard about them here and there. They would branch out to WNY, so now we're getting somewhere. The local stores would close in 1973, with the original downtown Syracuse flagship being demolished. The Monroe County stores were sold and the Edwards name survived until around 1982.

Syracuse (1) - S Salina & W Jefferson Sts; hard to pinpoint because of Deys, Sibleys, RKO Keith, Whelans, Kresge (kmart) and Loews State (Landmark Theatre) being competitors and/or neighbours

Syracuse (2) - S Salina & W Washington Sts, Clinton Square, Syracuse Mall; later the Atrium with Goldome (bank that closed in the early '90s) and state offices; now SUNY Oswego Metro Center with CH Insurance and skating rink entrance during the winter

deWitt - NY 5, Shoppingtown Mall; later JCPenney; now vacant (don't say the D word!)

Camillus - W Genesee St; Camillus Plaza/Mall; later JCPenney; now Walmart

Rochester - NY 96; Midtown Plaza?

Pittsford - NY 31, Pittsford Plaza

Greece - Ridgemont Plaza, US (now NY) 104

Buffalo (1) - Genesee & Pearl Sts; streets no longer meet as store existed a century ago; now Genesee Building (most likely)

Buffalo (2) - US 62, Langley Plaza; later Hens & Kelly

Lackawanna - Abbott Rd, L.B. Smith/Abbott Rd Plaza; later Hens & Kelly; now Rent-A-Center