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.

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

Shaws

Shaws in Sturbridge, MA in the autumn

JJBers from Willimantic, Connecticut, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 With Grand Unions portfolio down to a handful, their one store outside New York is in Rutland, VT. It could be next to go, and it would most likely go to Shaws so it could stay union, as I pointed out in a previous post. Across Lake Champlain is a bigger challenge, with a closed store in Warrensburg and a remaining one in Peru close to Plattsburgh, Burlington, and the border. Shaws could start to expand a little west of New England. Albertsons are no stranger to New York, having owned Save-a-Lot and Acme, still in the Tri-State, but otherwise left Upstate decades ago, while Supervalu had been here themselves as well as with Shop 'n Save in WNY and the chains acquired through the merger with Albertsons. I've gone to Jewel-Osco and Dominicks in Chicago, Star Market in Boston, and Shoppers near Washington. Here are where Shaws could go (*still Grand Union for right now):

Peru - US 9*; former Tops

Rutland, VT - US 4*; former Tops

Albany - NY 5; former Price Chopper; Westgate Shopping Ctr

Warrensburg - US 9; former Tops and Grand Union (pictured below)

Troy (Lansingburgh) - US 4; former Price Chopper

Slingerlands - NY 85; former ShopRite

AI of future Warrensburg Shaws (CoPilot)

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)

Hallmark Store in Upstate NY

Hallmark Store in Edmonton, ALB, Prairie Canada

Rowanlovescars, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 It's that time of year again when people buy cards, and Hallmark lead the way. CNY, the Capital Region, Finger Lakes, WNY, Southern Tier, North Country, Hudson and Mohawk Valleys have all had the Hallmark store over the decades, but the stores themselves have been given their cards. Only the one in Destiny USA is left in Syracuse today. Changing consumer needs and the economy has closed what have been mainly franchises. Some I can remember near home anyway, others I have to dig up. The company are based over by Taylor and Travis (send them a card for the wedding), and don't even get me started on those dross TV films, mind! Here's where the cards were sold. Only a few that I know are other things today.

Syracuse (Lyncourt) - Shop City Plaza, was likely in mini-mall; demolished by mid-'90s

deWitt - NY 5, Shoppingtown Mall, The Gift Horse; closed by 2010s

Liverpool - W Taft Rd, Tracys Gift Shop, Wegmans Plaza; now Upstate Nails Spa

Westvale - NY 5, Westvale Plaza; Annies Hallmark Shop; now iSmash

Clay - NY 31 & 481, Great Northern Mall, Matthews Gift Shop; closed by 2010s

Syracuse (downtown) - S Salina St?; closed decades ago

Syracuse (north side) - Destiny USA (formerly Carousel Center), Matthews Gift Shop; closed and replaced by current store down the hall (Christmas Treasures)

Cortland - N Main St; Jodis Hallmark

New Hartford (1) - Genesee St, Tracys Hallmark Shop, New Hartford Shopping Ctr

New Hartford (2) - NY 5 & 5A, Sangertown Square Mall, Matthews Gift Shop

Rome - E Chestnut St; with Hummels Office Plus

Watertown - NY 3, Salmon Run Mall; Matthews Gift Shop

Ithaca - NY 13, 34 & 96; Tracys Gift Shop

Johnson City - NY 201 & Harry L Dr, Oakdale Commons

Kingston - US 9W, Tracys Gift Shop

Rotterdam - Altamont Ave, Tracys Gift Shop

Schenectady - NY 337, Viaport, Matthews Gift Shop

Delmar - NY 443, Delaware Plaza, Hallmark Gold Crown

JoAnn Fabrics: Former Locations in NYS

JoAnn etc store in Connecticut courtesy Mike Mozart

 JoAnn Fabrics closed this past spring, leaving Michaels and Hobby Lobby the last chains of their sort left in the country. AC Moore had previously gone out of business years ago. Michaels did acquire some of JoAnns stores in areas where they did not overlap, which makes sense, and perhaps, Hobby Lobby got some of the others. I'll just focus on the ones in the regions that I know.

Syracuse - Destiny USA (then Carousel Center); now Burlington (closed long before recent events)

Fayetteville - Towne Centre, NY 5 & Towne Dr; now vacant

Clay - Marketfair North, NY 31; now vacant (should become Michaels with Micron coming and not right near existing store)

Cortland - Riverside Mall, NY 13; now Area 51

Vestal - Parkway Plaza, NY 434; now vacant

Big Flats - CR 35 & 75; becoming Burlington in 2026

Ithaca/Lansing - Cayuga Shopping Ctr, N Triphammer Rd

Auburn - Fingerlakes Mall; US 20 & NY 5

New Hartford - New Hartford Shopping Ctr, Genesee St

Henrietta - South Town Plaza; NY 252 & 15

Watertown - NY 3

Colonie - Northway Mall, NY 5; becoming Ulta Beauty in 2027 (moving from Colonie Ctr across road)

Clifton Park - Village Plaza, off NY 146; now Goodwill

Kingston - US 9W; now Dollar Tree

Poughkeepsie - Poughkeepsie Plaza, US 9

Middletown - Dunning Rd

Malone - US 11

West Babylon - NY 27A

Commack - Garet Pl

Bohemia - NY 27

Amherst - US 62

Blasdell - NY 179

Williamsville - NY 78

Ruby Tuesday

Typical Ruby Tuesday, likely in Connecticut. Another Mike Mozart masterpiece.

 Ruby Tuesday are a restaurant chain named after a Rolling Stones hit, and unlike Keith Richards, they have had locations that didn't last forever. CNY, WNY, the Capital Region, Southern Tier, Hudson Valley, downstate (I'll just put a couple because it'll take too long) and North Country have all had over a dozen out of hundreds nationwide close, and only the East Syracuse one is still in operation in CNY. I can still picture the pumpernickel croutons in the salad bar. Goodbye, Ruby Tuesdays. Who can hang another name on them? When they change with every new day. Still, we're gonna miss them.

Syracuse - Destiny USA (formerly Carousel Center); now Aloha Krab

deWitt - NY 5; later Stones Steakhouse; now CopperTop Tavern

Clay - NY 31 & 481, Great Northern Mall; now vacant

New Hartford - NY 5 & 5A, Sangertown Square

Watertown - NY 3

Greece - NY 104

Cheektowaga - Walden Ave

Blasdell - McKinley Pkwy & NY 179

Johnson City - Oakdale Commons

Poughkeepsie - US 9

Kingston - US 9W

Westbury - Old Country Rd

New York - 7th Ave

Guilderland - US 20, Crossgates Mall

Wilton - NY 50, Wilton Mall

Ruby Tuesday written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Published by ABKCO Music, Ltd. Parody lyrics by John Sposato (I'm no Weird Al myself, so there's no need to get permission).

Media Play/On Cue

Former Media Play in South Hills Mall in Dutchess County (now demolished)

 Media Play were part of the Musicland conglomerate that included Sam Goody and On Cue. Napster, iTunes and illegal downloading brought an end to the chain by 2006. At first, I could only dig up a handful of stores, including a few in CNY, one in the Hudson Valley, and another in Ohio Valley. I managed to find them all, but of course will mainly stick to those that were on New York soil because that's the point of this blog.

deWitt - NY 5, Shoppingtown Mall; previously Woolworths and Kallet Theatres; later Black Mamba; closed 2003 (District East on hold again, go figure)

North Syracuse - US 11 & S Bay Rd, Northern Lights Plaza; previously Burlington; closed 2003

Auburn - NY 5, On Cue, Auburn Plaza; now ALDI (honorable mention since they were a sister chain, essentially a truncated version of Media Play for smaller markets like Cayuga County. Some remaining locations in other areas later became Sam Goody after Best Buy took over before those were closed.)

Poughkeepsie - US 9, South Hills Mall; now the Shoppes at South Hills (pictured)

Cincinnati, OH - Cincinnati Mills Mall; now demolished (only non-NY one I'm putting here)

Amherst - NY 79; later FYE; now Hobby Lobby

Albany (Guilderland) - Washington Ave Ext, Crossgates Commons; TBD

Niagara Falls - US 62 & NY 265, Milpine Plaza

Hamburg - NY 179, McKinley Mall

Middletown - off NY 17/I-86 & 84, Dunning Farms Shopping Center; now Ollies Bargain Outlet?

Henrietta - NY 252 & 15, South Town Plaza

Niskayuna - NY 5, Mohawk Mall

Greece - NY 104, Ridgemont Plaza

Cheektowaga - Walden Place; now Ollies Bargain Outlet

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

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

FloofAid

Edited poster for FloofAid (fake future website)

    Coming after the founding of Furacuse comes the arrival of FloofAid (FurAid, a rescue centre for real cats and dogs, was taken, even though many furry conventions support those), the worlds first registered charity for helping the less fur-tunate afford tickets and travel to cons across the country, including to Furacuse, which will raise money for FloofAid, which seems ironic, having a con to benefit having people get to other cons, but also fursuits, since life these days is expensive enough, let alone floof. Cons are usually non-profit and thus an organisation or two registered with the IRS is the way to go, yet I don't know the first thing about this myself, and I just don't want to become the Willie Nelson or Bob Geldof of furries. I'd have to find others to run this with in order to get clearance.

    For now, you can contribute to my usual outlets at Ko-Fi (see earlier post), GoFundMe, PayPal, Venmo (@Sposato120, the only place I can accept cryptocurrency, which I'm not wholly familiar with myself, but can convert to real cash there), and CashApp ($Sposato2024). This is not another scam. It comes from me not being able to get to Eufuria, FurPoc, Furrydelphia, Fluffalo, Anthro New England, Anthrocon, or any con for that matter. I just want to pay it forward and help others who deserve it just as much, from young kids to those on disability like myself to others in a bad place that want to be a part of the fandom. While it is a luxury like fine jewellery, it's just not as grandiose per se. Even buying materials to make your own fursuit can cost just as much as having someone else do a commission or getting a premade. FloofAid can even help with that. You'd be surprised how many call themselves furries, but have little to show for it. Even those just starting out their own lives are just getting by.

    While AI is looked down in the community, I have made it my medium for designing. While Canidae are dominant, I put in three dollies and even threw in a Dutchie (rainbow dragon) and I'm not sure what that is (grey floof). I got them from the CNY Pride parade when using ChatGPT to create this from previous images. I didn't want just canines and felines because that's too easy. I even have a couple of hyenas, as well as deer, rabbits, birds and bears in the local group (we've only discussed the furcon).

    Once both NGOs are officially established, I will look into events such as Dougs Fish Fry or adult prom, to opening a Savers that has FloofAid as the local partner in Syracuse, despite Thrifty Shoppers regional dominance over two other national chains combined. Fursuits occasionally appear at Goodwill or other charity shops in random parts of the country, and we'll accept ones that are unsellable for even dirt low prices. We could provide a tax receipt, despite only one out of ten donors even bothering to itemise because it's barely takes off of most peoples taxes. Paul Newman didn't believe in write-offs and the estate continues that policy. Maybe Newmans Own or Warren Buffett could send a few bob over! Also, if you live outside CNY or can't come by, you could ship the fursuit Ground Advantage, but it might not be Savers' policy, yet the diehards will come looking for us to get some rock bottom deals.

    When Furacuse gets going, maybe FloofAid will too, but for now, you can contribute this way. The name FurryCuse may also have been suggested.

Furacuse

Furacuse poster made with ChatGPT

    As much as I would love to go on a trip to a furry convention in another town, it remains unattainable for many in the fandom, with the economy right now. Even Eufuria in Albany is out of my league this year. I learned that Fluffalo in Buffalo is actually held this year in a fishing club in Hamburg several miles down US 20 (it's a sizeable, yet low budget rental space, even for there), but it's in October, a couple weeks before Furpocalypse in Stamford, CT in the Tri-State, one of the largest in the Northeast, along with Anthrocon in Pittsburgh. I think Syracuse has the capacity for a furcon itself, and it has been discussed in the local Telegram group. RetroGameCon is also that time of year at the OnCenter in downtown Syracuse, which does have some furries, so it could be done. There are a few hotels nearby, and more in the suburbs, given the State Fair and eventually Micron. The location between the North Country, eastern Ontario, northeastern Pennsylvania, Twin Tiers, and the two existing cons on both sides of Upstate would bring in the people to at least break even, although we want to make a profit, yet we can't compete with Alleghany County being a smaller area with less infrastructure and resources.

    If downtown won't work, then there is Randolph House Hotel in Liverpool, which had been Sheraton, Holiday, and Ramada Inns before coming full circle under the latters sister franchise. It's right off the Thruway, has large event rooms and can have blocks booked, with all the floof under one roof. It'd be a bit of a hike from the bus, especially for those new to the area stunned by Centros paltry frequency, unless it's improved by the time this is established (that's for a whole other post). At least there'd be a few competitors nearby for overflow. The plaza could have a shuttle, but there are some things I won't get into here at this time. I think the CD Record Fair will remain at its current home at St Georges Macedonian Orthodox Church on NY 173 in Onondaga, even though I would never clash with that. There's no one time to do it, but I wouldn't when it's too cold for a start like in the boys' area.

    The dates provided are just an example, so nothing is there this year. Anything of this magnitude requires months of planning and thousands of dollars of sponsorship and investment. Even Furrydelphia had to start somewhere. I just wish more things could be in my area, which is how this blog came to be in the first place, and even this is something that is late to arrive in CNY. Had less trouble with IKEA.

    Since most cons are non-profit, this will raise money for a sister project called FloofAid, which will be the next post. It'll be a registered charity to help those in the fandom with less get to other cons as well as their own fursuits. I know that defeats the purpose of Furacuse, but it would be smaller than ones in the major metros, yet FloofAid will get the less fur-tunate the floof of their dreams, and even to this if they live too far from Syracuse or any con at all. Not even the biggest chain is on every corner.

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

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

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 (too old to pinpoint straight away)

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

deWitt - Shoppingtown Mall, NY 5; previously Addis & Deys, Sibleys and Kaufmanns; future District East (still in property purgatory)

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

New Hartford - Sangertown Square, NY 5 & 5A; previously Hess's and Kaufmanns; may be demolished for BJs Wholesale Club (confirmed; 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; now Boscovs

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 with demolition likely

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 (yet I went here once in a while from just down the river)

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; will become Boulevard Place in 2026 after JCPenney gave 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