Directory/Retail
Just Games Rochester is a board, card, role-playing game shop in Penfield. They also carry miniatures, paints, and accessories, plus exclusive dice, out-of-print games, and more. They have over 1000 titles in stock, including the largest selection of dice on the East Coast. The store has a daily gaming events. You can find their most up-to-date calendar on their "website"
Marcaida Kali is a Filipino Martial Art created by Kuya Doug Marcaida, the edged weapons expert of History Channel's Forged in Fire. It is a weapons based fighting system heavily based off of various Southeast Asian fighting systems that Marcaida had mastered or trained in. A partial overview of his martial arts background can be found here. Marcaida Kali's main dojo is located in Pittsford Place Mall, which shares its space with Eastern Sky Aikido. New students are advised to come in during a Monday or Friday night class, as classes held at other times are either by appointment (Friday afternoon), for more advanced students (both Wednesday classes), or by invite only (second Wednesday class). The dojo can be found by either entering from the northern side of the building and going straight, or by entering from the western side (facing Monroe Avenue), going straight to the very end of the hallway, and turning right. Marcaida Kali instructors also teach at the Rochester Institute of Technology in its Kali Club.
Martin's Dec 2007 - BradMandell Fairport TOPS back again - BradMandell INFO Martins was a TOPS store under a separate brand name. The Perinton Square Mall store was renovated when it was converted from TOPS to Martins and has now been rebranded back to TOPS, but retains the new look and is somewhat different from the typical TOPS. This TOPS store is a spacious, clean, well stocked mega market in Fairport. It's off Route 250 on Route 31, which is on the way to Lollypop Farm. Few Rochesterians outside of the immediate surrounding area of the store are aware of Tops, which is a shame. They have an extensive selection of fresh and difficult to find items, including Belgian Looza juice and Scandinavian crispbread. They also have several self check-out lanes, which can be a treat for those who like to bag their own items and keep track of each purchase. The store also features some Price Scanners to allow quick check of item prices from the barcode.
Menezes is a husband-and-wife owned pizza and sub shop in the 19th Ward on Chili Avenue just east of Thurston Road. Their menu (which includes salads), along with coupons and directions, can be found on their website. They've been in the 19th Ward since 1986. A 2003 renovation of their facade brought the shop exterior in line with the rest of that portion of Chili Avenue. You can get delivery or take out, but you can't eat in the shop as there is just enough floor space for the customers who are paying and picking up. The counter is high, but staff can assist customers in wheelchairs. All major credit cards are accepted and the owners are strong supporters of the 19th Ward Community Association. Photo by John Boutet (2012)
Website Logo Website Graphic Website Graphic Mercury Print Productions Inc is a printing production company located near the corner of Mt. Read Boulevard and Ridgeway Avenue near the Kodak Distribution Center. "... founded as Mercury Forms by CEO Valerie Mannix in 1969. ... grown three facilities and is now housed in a custom built, high-tech facility in Rochester, NY. Since 2006, the Mercury Print Book Division and Electronic Media Solutions division have been located in a neighboring facility. ... all-under-one-roof operations allow for the capability to produce almost any type of printing project. ... From traditional offset runs to fully customized variable data pieces ..." 1 Mercury offers the following services:2 Hard and soft cover book manufacturing using sheet-fed offset and digital on-demand print technology Offset print for long run books Digital on-demand print for short run books Hard cover books Sewn, rounded and backed books Full service digital prepress utilizing both Mac and PC formats Online soft proofing and online variable data order fulfillment In-house bindery services Mailing management CD-ROM and DVD mastering and replication CD-R duplication and CD business cards Warehousing and Fulfillment See their website for information on Lunch and Learn and Seminars
The Camp Bow Wow Rochester Dog Daycare and Boarding facility, is a locally owned, nation-wide franchise that provides a fun, safe and upscale environment for dogs to play all day. Camp Bow Wow is located in the annex side of the Genesee Valley Regional Market in the heart of Henrietta. Camp Bow Wow provides a social play environment where can dogs can burn energy and get lots of attention. Dogs are separated by size and temperament while they are playing in the play yards all 3 of the play yards have outdoor access. The facility has Camper Cams (aka Webcams) so owners can view their dogs live via on Internet while they play. Staff are trained in dog behavior, safety and health management. The facility also offers a variety of other services including grooming, training, an assortment of retail items, and more. Camp Bow Wow now offers in-home pet sitting for all of your pets: furry, feathered, or scaled with our Home Buddies service! Check out our web site for information on services and pricing! New Campers Before your dog can stay at Camp Bow Wow, you will need to do several things. First, your dog will need to have several vaccinations (Rabies, Distemper, Bordetella) and be neutered/spayed. Then your dog will need to complete an interview day where they will stay at Camp Bow Wow and their temperament will be gauged. If your dog does okay during the interview, then you will receive a certificate that allows them to stay at the camp.
Murderer's Row was the name given to one of the toughest sections of Rochester in the later 1800's. We read about the area in Rochester History. "A resurgent evangelism contributed to the reestablishment of the Rochester "Y" in 1875. ... to reform this portion of the city in the 1870s. ... A vacant store at No. 6 Main Street East was leased and furnished with chairs and kerosene lamps by friendly patrons. A sprinkling of sawdust supplied a familiar carpet for the prayer services conducted there every night for several weeks. ... after a few months, ... series of revival meetings in an old variety theater overlooking the canal back of Exchange Street. It was in the section known as 'Murderer's Row" the toughest part of town ... in the course of a few months ... [turned] hundreds of young men from lives of drunkenness and evil habits and greatly "sweetened the atmosphere of Murderer's Row." 1 Murderer's row was also described as a "wretched alley near the railroad station" 2. From the same source we know that in 1893 a cluster of buildings on Murderer's Row were ordered demolished. 1Rochester History Oct 1954 Vol 16 No 1, Page 82Rochester History Oct 1965 Vol 27 No 4, Page 3
My Craft & Gift Concept was a Christian-themed gift shop in Grove Place. They carried t-shirts, Rochester souvenirs, African jewelry, CD's, and other diverse items. Online shopping was also available. My Craft & Gift Concept was located in the same space as the Ethiopian grocery My Merkato. Both were owned by Mekonnen Yimer. Yimer closed this business in 2014 to focus on My Merkato.
The National Chains in Rochester page provides a listing of national retail chains found in the Rochester area as well as general information and links. The national chains include the Big Box stores, retail outlet stores belonging to national chains, and franchise stores (locally owned) but operated under the franchise umbrella. Category Lists with National Chains Listed Banks Barbershops Beauty Products Children's goods Craft Stores Donuts Hardware and Tools Grocery Stores Hobby Stores Hotels, Motels, etc. Insurance Jewelers Opticians Pet Life Pizza Restaurants Toy Stores Uncategorized National Chains Agway Blockbuster Video Carter's Christmas Tree Shop Ethan Allen Galleries Famous Footwear New York & Company Pep Boys - automotive Radio Shack Rapid Refill - Ink and Printing supplies rue21 Stein Mart TJ Maxx National Franchises with Local outlets Foot Solutions GolfTEC IGA The Vitamin Shoppe True Value Hardware
Designed by renowned architect Claude Bragdon, the demolition of the third building of the New York Central Railroad station is, arguably, one of the greatest losses to Rochester's architectural scenery and history. It was located at Central Ave. and North Clinton Ave., where the Amtrak station is now. In 1854, New York Central Station was constructed on Mill Street at the brink of the falls, serving as the community's transportation center for 30 years. In the 1880's the railroad tracks were elevated and the station was relocated to the east side of the Genesee River (on Central Avenue at St. Paul Street) among the thriving breweries and clothing factories. The second station served New York Central's needs for just over 20 years, when they decided to build a new station on the north side of Central Avenue, between North Clinton Avenue and Joseph Avenue. New York City architect Claude Bragdon designed the third station, referred to as Union Station or the Bragdon Station, and it opened in 1914. Bragdon gave particular attention to design of the indoor public spaces, including a large, general waiting room with a domed, ornamental ceiling and a lunch counter to serve waiting passengers. Bragdon incorporated the motif of driving wheels of a great locomotive into the three large arched windows. He utilized other railroading details geometrically in the decoration of the brick exterior and the tile interior. Unfortunately, this grand station, busy for four decades, lost most of its passengers to the airlines. The New York Central sold the building in 1959, and the Bragdon Station was demolished in 1965 to make room for a parking lot. There is a rumor that a technical surplus store existed in tunnels below the railway station as its last remains were being destroyed in 1978. Do these tunnels still exist? See Q and A. There is a nice write up here. Text from this page stolen from here. Pictures can be found here. See also Railroads in Rochester's History.
Are you fast enough for Monroe Avenue? (by Flickr user RocPX license info) I'd like to create a page here about driving in Rochester. This could include many things, but I'd like it to have a humorous slant more than a functional slant. For example, it could include a list of quirks that people have noticed while driving in Rochester. Some I've observed more here than in other places. Quirks Drifting from lane to lane. Are these people intoxicated or asleep at the wheel? I see this a lot around here. Turning without using a signal1. I see this constantly. I've noticed that a lot of people will get into a lane that will soon be blocked by a parked car. If you're in the lane next to them then they gun it and try to cut you off before getting stuck behind the parked car. This is not only dangerous, but insane, and yet I witness it almost daily when driving in the city. Please understand understand that driving a massive SUV with the ability to crush all cars on either side of you does not abdicate you from your personal and legal responsibility to signal while switching lanes. Thanks. In Rochester, a yellow light doesn't mean "caution", it means "go faster, now!". Also, the first few seconds of red are a special shade of yellow which can be seen only by those who have been driving in Rochester for a few years. The first road-coating snowfall introduces two new and equally dangerous drivers to the mix: the clueless half-speed driver who believes they are cautious and the oblivious "just-like-it's-dry" driver. Go ahead and honk! At intersections, the lack thereof, people you know - even people you don't know! It lets other drivers and pedestrians know that you're important. Speed limits are for wimps! Do 65 on the 55mph portion of 390 and 75 on the 65mph portion. Any cruising speed is apparently acceptable on 590, provided you never go below 65, even though the posted limit is 55.2 Local roads should be taken at 40-45 (50, if you're really in a hurry) whenever possible. Be sure to leave your car running when you stop in at a convenience store in the winter. The engine (apparently) could freeze if left off for even 2 minutes in the frigid, frigid cold. And don't worry; as the 49th largest urban area in the United States, there couldn't possibly be any auto theft. Most stops signs are optional, especially ones in parking lots. The only reason there are so many is because they are cheaper than yield signs. Many people in Rochester are distracted while driving. Here is a list of things you should not do while driving a motor vehicle, especially at high speeds: Use a cell phone, especially if you tend to talk with your hands Read a book or magazine Beat your spouse Apply makeup Try to pick something up off the floor Drinking from 40-oz. bottles (they block your view) Certain sexual activities any more? Also see: Ford St and South Plymouth Ave Traffic Roundabout 1Seasoned drivers can identify "implied turns" by the position of the car in the lane, the speed relative to typical speed on the roadway, and the point-of-view of the driver as indicated by head position and motion.2An exception is made occasionally for cars in the far left lane, where it is acceptable to travel at 45mph, provided you are far away from an exit.
Monroe Village location, Sept. 2011 Nu-Look Collision is a local chain of collision repair shops. Founded in 1981, they have twelve locations in the Greater Rochester area (plus another in Steuben County) and provide free shuttle service and on-site Hertz rentals. Awards Voted "Best Auto Repair Shop" by City Newspaper's 'Best of Rochester' Awards in 2015.1 For the past thirteen years (as of 2014) they have been voted best "Auto Collision Repair" in the Democrat & Chronicle Rochester's Choice Awards.
The term "Blue Laws" originally applied to laws enacted by the Puritans in seventeenth-century Connecticut to regulate moral behavior. They focused on what people must or must not do on the Sabbath and many other religious-related acts and called for rather harsh punishments to be applied to offenders. The term blue law refers to regulations governing the opening of various retail establishments on Sunday. Many of the blue laws relate to when establishments can sell beer, wine and liquor. Further, regulation of alcholic beverages is normally referred to by the term liquor laws. In NY stat they are managed by the New York State Liquor Authority There have been a number of recent significant changes to the liquor laws in New York State. Liquor stores were allowed to open on Sunday if the store closed on another day of the week. Wineries in NY state were allowed to ship out of state, and out-of-state wineries were allowed to ship into NY. Liquor stores were allowed to open six days per week of their choice. Most stores remain closed on Sundays. References blue laws on Snopes.com County Closings page - liquor closing hours by county
Radio Shack was national chain of electronics stores in the Rochester area. One of the few places you could go for a variety of little electronic components and gadgets, connectors, wire, etc. They still have stores in other areas of NYS. Other Previously Closed Stores East Avenue Hudson & Ridge Hudson Plaza Midtown Plaza Monroe Avenue (2 locations) Wegmans Plaza - Ridgemont Westmar Plaza (2159 Buffalo Road) Eight additional stores were closed in February 2015 when the chain filed for bankruptcy. These were at Marketplace Mall, Greece Ridge Mall, Westgate Plaza in Gates, Chili Paul Plaza, Cobblestone Court in Victor, Genesee Valley Plaza in Geneseo, 4234 Veterans Memorial Drive in Batavia, and 6766 Route 31 in Newark. In 2016 the Henrietta Plaza, Perinton Square Mall, and Panorama Plaza locations closed.
Pinewood Country Club is a 9-hole semi-private golf course on the West side of Rochester. The facility offers a full-service Pro Shop and a fully air conditioned, handicap accessible clubhouse. The dining room overlooks the picturesque golf course, with an adjacent deck and gazebo.
The New Building, May 2012 The Pittsford Dairy It wouldn't be a dairy without a cow (by Flickr user bgolub license info) Pittsford Dairy (AKA Pittsford Farms Dairy) is a little locally owned dairy, right near the center of Pittsford, (behind Schoen Place). Freshest and creamiest chocolate milk in town. Produced by regional dairy cows. Also, the source of the best ever mass produced egg nog (which is also sold at Wegmans during the holiday season). They also sell grocery items such as local baked goods (from Flour City Bread), their house churned ice cream and butter, specialty sodas and other produce. Their milk can be bought in other places around town but the best selection is at the Dairy. In the spring of 2010, Pittsford Dairy began construction of a new building on the North side of their current site. The owner reports that the new building will provide a new retail front-end, and is expected to be completed by spring of 2011. Notes and References D&C Article about the history of Powers Farm Market and Pittsford Dairy. A Food Experience article raving about the cream and the dairy in general A November 29, 2008 RNews report indicates they now accept credit cards. Finding Abundance in Everday Life - artcle on BlogSpot The Way We Were on RochesterCityNewspaper.com Videos 2008 YouTube video interview with the owner
Exterior of new West Ridge Rd Location, 12-2012 12-2012 12-2012 ReHouse Staff Photo Main door at the back ReHouse is an architectural salvage store in Maplewood neighborhood, also called the West Ridge Parkway Business District. Antique, vintage and modern building materials are saved from properties scheduled for demolition or major remodeling jobs. Materials available at the store are doors, windows, plumbing, lighting, hardware, and some antique furniture. Since opening in 2002 over 2.1 million pounds of materials have been reclaimed for reuse and saved from the landfill. "ReHouse Retro" , now closed as of March 2020, opened June, 2016, and is located adjacent to the main "ReHouse" store on W. Ridge Road. This store features mid century furniture, decor and finds with a retro flair. "Artisans Annex" a consignment space with many artists, decorators and one of a kind handmade gifts opened July 2020. They were originally located at 1473 East Main Street and moved to their current location July 1, 2012. This added 5,000 sq ft of retail space and a 50 car parking lot. The new retail store is 20,000 sq ft.
Fowler's Fine Chocolate was a chocolate specialty gift store from the Buffalo area (7 stores) but closed their Rochester locations. Stores were very pink. It is my understanding they were in the Rochester area before and decided for a second try. Apparently, their second attempt in the Rochester market was not successful either. Some of their specialties were sponge candy and truffles. They also had some Buffalo themed chocolates such as chocolate shaped Buffalos, Pizza and Chicken Wings. Sugar free options were available.
A.C. Moore was a national chain store providing art, crafts, and scrapbooking supplies. Their last Rochester-area location was in Jay Scutti Plaza. They used to have locations in Wegmans Plaza - Ridgemont and Marketplace Square but these closed in 2014. Their current location had its grand opening in August 2015. It was announced in November 2019, all stores were closing and some were bought out by Michaels.
Bookends is a bookstore offering a variety of used books. The store is located at 1550 Jefferson Road, in the Bowl-a-Roll Plaza (On Jefferson Rd. near Winton) in Henrietta, and was previously located at 15 S Main St in Pittsford Village. Bookends is a member of the Rochester Area Booksellers Association.
Website Graphics B. Younique was an apparel and accessories store located in Twelve Corners Plaza in Brighton with a fresh approach to fashion. They closed in December 2015 after 17 years in business. According to the Democrat & Chronicle: Several factors contributed to her decision to close B. Younique at Twelve Corners Plaza after 17 years: Von Maur moving into the market at Eastview Mall and carrying some of her lines, manufacturers selling their products online directly to consumers and this year’s weather. A cold spring, wet summer and warm fall and winter added up to a lackluster year, [the owner] said. She has a second shop in Pompano, Florida, that she will keep open. Links Three Rochester-area boutiques close in holiday season - Democrat and Chronicle (2015-12-03)
(Aug. 2012) Original Village Gate location Far Out Vintage was a men's and women's vintage clothing and accessories store in Monroe Village. Expect to find a '30s housedress between a '70s polyester wrap dress and a '60s sheath dress worthy of Mad Men. Prices were generally around $30-$60. Far Out Vintage opened in 2009 and is owned by Michelle Zingo. Originally in the Village Gate complex, they moved to their Monroe Ave location, the former home of Lucky Lotus Tattoo, on February 1, 2012. Rochester Teen Set Outsider could be purchased here. The business was sold in 2015 and became JANE Vintage. Awards Voted "Best Secondhand Store" in City Newspaper's 'Best of Rochester' Awards in 2015.1
Chili Hinchey Plaza is a strip mall on Chili Avenue (exit 19 off of I-390) in Gates. Tenants Cricket Wireless Dollar General Rent-A-Center Rainbow Background "... sold to ... local investors for in excess of {$1M} ... area has seen extensive development including the renovation and expansion of Westgate Plaza, a 285,000 square foot property anchored by the areas first Super Wal-Mart less than 1 mile away. Extensive renovation ... include a new redesigned façade and signage, new storefronts, sidewalks, as well as a new roof, and site lighting. In addition, 16,000 square feet of new retail space ... . ... ownership group includes managing partners David Dworkin, of LLD Enterprises, John August, of J. August Properties, Francis Antonelli, Robert Galbraith, and Arnold Kovalsky. ... " 1 "A New Facade, 16,000 SF addition and site lighting were completed Fall'04. New Parking lot Summer '05." 2 Notes and References LoopNet.com ReJournal.com 1ReJournal.com2LoopNet.com
Flower City Flavor Company is a Rochester, NY online based gourmet and speciality foods store specializing in hot sauce, BBQ sauces, seasonings, jerky, and more. They also carry their own flavored Olive Oils & Balsamic Vinegars, as well as a Malt Vinegar aged in barrels from Iron Smoke Distillery. Local brands carried include: Karma Sauce PepperNutz Death By Chili Two locations: Flower City Flavor Company inside Irondequoit Pharmacy 545 Titus Avenue Rochester, NY 14617 Flower City Flavor Company inside Twelve Corners Apothecary 1832 Monroe Avenue Rochester, NY 14618