Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers

Location possibly in the Pacific Northwest (photographer likely based there)

 There are more chicken chains than ever these days, and I think Raising Canes Chicken Fingers are able to open more locations. With other restaurant chains and indies closing locations across the country, Canes could have franchises buy them in areas where they aren't already in business. Downstate is covered as usual. Nothing Upstate yet, but we can change that. May be mostly by me.

Camillus - former Firehouse Subs, W Genesee St

Watertown - former Red Lobster, NY 3

Clay/Liverpool - NY 31 (build from scratch, even with Tullys to Go looking to build that way in the wake of Microns building site of their base for east of the Mississippi)

Oneida - former KFC?, NY 5

New Hartford - former Boil Shack, NY 5

Vestal - former A&W/Long John Silvers (as of June 2024), NY 434

Henrietta - former Red Lobster, NY 252

Buffalo - former Red Lobster; NY 179 & McKinley Pkwy, McKinley Mall

Kingston - former Red Lobster, US 9W

deWitt - deWitt Town Center, NY 5 (confirmed as of 8/4/26)

Borders

Palo Alto, CA (Bay Area) in former cinema

 When I had my Barnes & Noble tote the other week, someone confused it with Borders when it was in town (which B&N bought out remaining assets of, but that's not the point). Borders closed in 2011, and was followed by Waldenbooks. Even the few chains and indies can't all stay open and compete with Amazon. Borders had some items that the other place didn't have. I even remember Eileen Fulton of As the World Turns doing a book signing. Her character is my sisters namesake and Fulton is from where my other sister now lives (small world. Then there are a couple cast members of Krapopolis). The photo I took sadly has disappeared like the stores. Here's a selection of some of them:

Syracuse - Carousel Center (now Destiny USA); now canyon section/Dicks wing

Watertown - Salmon Run Mall, NY 3 & CR 100

Albany (Guilderland) - Crossgates Mall, US 20

Rochester - Hylan Dr, now Homegoods

Buffalo (Cheektowaga) - Walden Galleria

New York (1) - 122 5th Ave

New York (2) - 461 Park Ave

Orchard Park - NY 179 (other WNY store)

Wappingers Falls - US 9 (forgot it was there when I lived up the road)

Oneonta - NY 7 & 28, Southside Mall; Borders Express; previously Waldenbooks

Arlington, VA - Hayes St (last one I remember going to after mine closed during DC hols. Only non-NY one I'm putting since we're focussing on NY)

Tried to get it outside, but got the inside instead.

Looks fairly close to the real logo.

AI meant for another chain re-adapted for Borders.

Tomato Pie Day

Spanos (now New York Dough) Tomato Pie sold at Hannaford. They usually competed at Tomato Pie Day in happier times (I know that gets overused).

CC0, Link

 Tomato Pie Day in Utica, NY is a unique family event that draws hundreds every April, even from outside the Mohawk Valley as several local restaurants compete to be voted as the best one in town. However, I'm worried they're pulling a Glastonbury (the UK music festival has fallow years) because there has been no announcement yet as to whether or not they'll have it this year at the rec center on Memorial Parkway. They would have announced it by now. The last time it was cancelled of course was COVID, when it was not held for three years in a row, and it was brought back last year and I went. The crystal ball said it would be 27 April, 52 weeks after the last one, but we can't really confirm that. It could be called off again with rising food costs, staffing shortages, the challenges of running a small business in a small town, and the economy overall. It's just I can't plan until I know for drop dead sure that it's on so I can clear my day so I don't go that way during the week for other things because I can't afford to go out of town twice a month or every week anymore, even in warmer months, let alone to the same place a couple times. Lucky I can do it once or at all these days. Like a real journalist, I reached out to I Love Utica and New York Dough (which absorbed Spanos), but have not heard back from either. I may not even have regular pizza all the time, but tomato pie we call our own. Not the same kind as in Mercer County (NJ Capital Region) or the South. If I do hear anything official, I will update this post straight away. Tomato, tomahto, let's not call the whole thing off yet.

UPDATE (22/3/25): Tomato Pie Day might not be held in 2025 either as there is also no official word yet, as there would have to be by now so everyone can plan. More recent events in the past year since may have made it even harder to do this anymore, and I've gone out of town much less lately myself, and I have had changes in my own life and can't afford a round trip of $30 on travelling alone. Worst case scenario, the event may have been retired permanently or indefinitely, albeit unceremoniously. We're only halfway through what hasn't been an easy decade as if there ever was one. I don't even eat tomato pie that often, or pizza proper. Have yet to get back to Oneida County again, but I guess they just don't want to admit they won't have it again or address the elephant in the room. Once again, if a miracle happens, I'll put another update. Otherwise, consider it over for now unless they say it's back.

Bakery Outlets

Entenmanns outlet in Georgetown downstate (not Leatherstocking or DC)

 Freihofers Bakery Outlets had just closed stores suddenly in the Northeast, including CNY, the Finger Lakes, Mohawk and Hudson Valleys, Capital Region, New England and the Tri-State. Even the employees themselves had the rug taken off from under them. While stores big and small worldwide have been suffering the past few years, even these did not make it. Bimbo Bakeries USA, well known to Pati (Jinich, who heard of the parent company back in Mexico), and based near Patti (laBelle, who lives in Wynewood and has to limit her carbs) made the decision to close them. I put sister brand Entenmanns in Brooklyn since that was the closest thing I could find (one of several former sister brands to Loblaws that Bimbo bought), although Freihofers were headquartered in nearby Totowa, NJ, yet Bimbos acquisition brought them back to the Philadelphia area in some way, where Freihofers were founded in the Victorian era in the city proper. You can always just go to any big store to get it now.

Rivals Wonder Hostess (now part of Flowers Bakeries) used to have their own outlets in Syracuse on Court Street Road, East Molloy Road (likely not at the same time since it's a mile away) and South Bay Road in North Syracuse. The first two are a short drive from Freihofers Lyncourt store, which had Bimbos brands, as well some lesser known ones, plus institutional packages, store brands like Price Choppers PiCs and Big M (formerly made by later Penn Traffic division Penny Curtiss [name inspired by Betty Crocker based on P&Cs initials] around the corner), and some non-baked items. Those stores are quite small and you'd be lucky to fit a cornershop in them. Before my time, there was even the Millbrook Bakery Thrift Store (an early local Wonder Hostess franchise) on Spencer and N Clinton Sts on the north side of Syracuse, which is long gone and new to me. You learn something new everyday. A dying bread, I mean breed! You'd think it would still work now, saving people money, but so much retail and other things have not recovered from the past five years (you know how it is).

Best Buy Outlet

Brockton, MA location (Boston area)

 Best Buy is the latest big box to branch out into the outlet scene, passing down more savings on inventory they're trying to offload. The regular chain has closed stores in CNY, WNY and the Capital Region in recent years however. The Syracuse one at Destiny USA, which had been Lechmere in Carousel days, is now a Going, Going Gone Dicks Warehouse Outlet (renamed after a Bob Dylan song supposedly because the Times They Are a-Changin'!). On a Facebook group, one had opened in an old Borders (another chain from pre-Destiny years).  Best Buy Outlet could go in both former locations of the parent company and other stores.

Syracuse - Destiny USA; former Forever 21 (as of 31/3/24) or JCPenney 2nd Level

Williamsville - NY 78*

Liverpool - NY 31*; later Value City Furniture

Henrietta - NY 252; former Christmas Tree Shops

Albany - US 20; Crossgates Mall* (previously Caldor)

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

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

*former store

DG Market

New Syracuse store in the Valley

 While Dollar General only came to CNY in the late '90s, subsidiary DG Market is even more late. Syracuse.com merely mentioned one of the two that opened on the south side, which is one of far too many food deserts across the country affecting vulnerable populations, much of whom lack personal transport (you know how it is). The one the site mentioned on S. Salina St. (US 11) and E. Brighton Ave. turned out to be the former Big M (closed in the '90s) and Factory Direct Furniture Outlet (competed with the flagship Dunk & Bright across the street and thus just moved to Shop City) and nothing at this writing just yet on the other one only a few miles away at the corner of W. Seneca Tpke. and Valley Dr. (NY 173 & 80; pictured) in the former Eckerd/Rite Aid/Walgreens. While many would like the old A&P/P&C/Tops in Valley Plaza down the street from the former and around the corner from the latter to become a DG Market as well (as of 2025, the former Tops will become an indie instead), it may be too close to both and DG proper will close (although in an older, smaller space). Across town in Mattydale, the Walgreens there is on the way out, and there hasn't been a grocery store there in thirty years time since P&C (previously Tops until 1986, where Big Lots is today) moved up Brewerton Road (also US 11) to the former Channel Home Center in Airport Plaza in North Syracuse (now Tops as well). Regular DG is at the corner of E. Molloy Rd. where arch-rival Family Dollar (currently about to close 1,000 stores, after spinning off of Dollar Tree) had been. We all know these chains are all over the place these days, and as for DGs competitors, it's a classic case of too many stores along with recent events, yet DG have been thriving when much of the public hasn't. DG Market offers items that the main chain or even DGX (the downtown division; mine in the old Woolworths/Rite Aid) doesn't. Even Trafalgar, IN is getting a DG Market (which I discovered whilst trying to do my research), as well as the North Country back here (albeit at the expense of a nearby small town mom-and-pop). Now we should come up with the usual list of locations of where to put one, even though it may be a copout and sellout at the same time with a big name like this. I'll throw in a couple from out-of-state. Turnover is normal in the chain industry, and in 2025, Dollar General closed a hundred stores, while planning on opening over 450 in 2026, with the potential of around 110,000 over time, gradually acquiring other chains' vacancies nationwide. Here's just where to put DG Market as the regular kind is too easy (maybe in Camillus).

Binghamton - NY 7, former Giant/Weis

Greene - former Great American BK Five

Sidney - CR 23, former Great American BK Five

North Syracuse - US 11 & Chestnut St, former Rite Aid/Walgreens (confirmed for 2026; DG proper up the street at Bear Rd will close when the lease runs out)

Albany (south end) - NY 32 or US 9W et al

Renssalaer - US 9 & 20; former Aldi

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

Troy (Lansingburgh) - US 4; former Price Chopper

Taylor, PA - former Price Chopper (as of 19/4/24)

Utica - Genesee St.; former Fays/Eckerd/Rite Aid

Fulton - NY 481; former kmart, River Glen Plaza (regular DG in former last surviving CNY Woolworths downtown up the street)

Hubbard, OH - former Save-a-Lot (closed due to right rent rise and roof row)

Albany (Delaware Area) - NY 443 & US 9W; former Save-a-Lot/Fays?

Former Price Chopper locations

Syracuse east side store, which is doing just fine

Here's where Price Chopper used to be (all NY unless indicated): 

Framingham, MA 

Schenectady (Sheridan Plaza) 

Watervliet*/** (NY 32; previously Fays and Eckerd, now Dollar Tree)

Albany*/** (earlier store; previously ***, including Westmere on US 20 [likely demolished by '80s])

Oneonta* (NY 7)

Albany (New Scotland Ave.; Mini Chopper only; main store now Market 32) 

Mechanicville*/*** 

Pittsfield, MA*/*** 

Glens Falls*/*** 

North Troy */**

Lansingburgh (US 4)

Green Island*/** 

Poughkeepsie (South Hills Mall) (US 9) (now ShopRite)

Shrewsbury, MA* 

Oneida (NY 5 & 46) - later Herb Phillipsons, now The Electic Chic* 

Oswego (near Fort Ontario)* (now medical building)

Saratoga Springs* (earlier store)

Saratoga Springs (Price Chopper Limited downtown; now indie store)

Northampton, MA 

Baldwinsville? 

Fulton (NY 3)* 

deWitt (former Hechinger Plaza) - NY 5; later Big Lots and Stickley Clearance Centre; now Spectrum* 

deWitt (kmart plaza; now Erie Canal Centre) - NY 5; later OfficeMax, now Dicks Sporting Goods* 

Liverpool (1)* (CR 57, Seneca Mall; later Big Lots; now Ocean State Job Lot)

West Boylston, MA 

Willowbrook 

Colonie* (original store; later Colonie Plaza; store closed when Market 32 opened in former ShopRite down NY 5 and is now Walworld International Supermarket)

Plattsburgh (US 9)* 

Scranton, PA (apart from Taylor)

Niskayuna (NY 5 & Ballstown Rd) (Mohawk Mall. Replaced by older current store at Mohawk Commons. New store at former ShopRite on NY 146 & Nott St E)

Syracuse (Western Lights)* (original store; current one at former Chappells/OptiVision)

Syracuse (South Side; NY 173)* previously Loblaws; TBD/later Carls/Fays/Dollar Tree?

Liverpool (2) (NY 31 as of 19/4/24); will become Ross, Sierra and Boot Barn (all long overdue)

Taylor, PA (as of 19/4/24)

New Hartford* (NY 5A); now atHome

Gloversville (as of 10/1/26)

Albany (Westgate, NY 5)* (closed when Market 32 opened in former ShopRite down NY 5)

Camillus (became Hills in 1982, then Ames in 1999 until chains demise in 2002; building and most of old mall and plaza demolished; Walmart Supercenter opened in 2006) 

*moved

**As Public Service Market

***As Central Markets

More locations TBD