Bernstone's On Main Street
A few of us took a walk down Main Street on Saturday to identify some of the 'easy fixes' and low cost improvements that could be made. Before we update you on some initial progress made, I wanted to point out this building that has so much potential and could really work towards building back Main Street. It's the former Bernstone's Cigar Store located at the corner of Main and Swan, one block from Dunn Tire Park. This was the oldest cigar store in Buffalo until the day that it closed - many people traveled to Bernstone's to get the daily paper and a fine cigar.
These days the building sits vacant - a blip of a structure surrounded by a sea of parking lots. It is incredible that this building was not demolished for additional parking. I really like the character of this place and hope that someday someone sees the building's potential. Can you imagine rolling up the metal garage doors and exposing an indoor/outdoor café? A place where visitors could still pick up a morning paper and a bagel before heading over to catch a baseball game?
Bernstone's is not far from Chop-Chop, City Grill, Pearl Street Brew Pub and Globe Market- it's also just down the street from the Jenny Shop, Soundlab, The Webb Building and the soon-to-come Marcell by Chayban. The fact that this one small building was spared gives me hope that one day it will attract someone who has a vision for this downtown district. One thing is for sure... whoever does eventually open in this location will never have to worry about parking. And when that day does come (crossing fingers) I hope that they keep the sign.
If anyone has any info on the property as far as lease options, etc., please add in a comment.
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Comment Options
mandajrn
love it.
i have a back-brain dream of starting a cafe in a space just like this...dripping with the makings of a spot that brings a neighborhood together. places like this have the potential to change a place completely (in great ways!).
hopefully whomever gets to it first does just that.
who owns it?
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chrishawley
I discovered a photograph at BECHS recently that revealed Bernstone's was not always a one-story building.
As the cast-iron elements of Bernstone's now signify, the building was once the first story of a multi-story, cast-iron clad building that either burned or was demolished, save the first story storefront. It's quite miraculous any part of the previous building still exists. Yet here it is!
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cleverjester
i'm hoping one day it gets demolished - and a high rise put in its place. prime location for such a tiny little place. but since the need isn't there now i'll admit it would be nicer to have a small cafe there in the meantime.
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kooksapalooza
mandajrn....GO FOR IT!!...we could use a coffee shop in this area
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STEEL
if my memory serves the interior is wrapped with wonderful wood and glass display cases. Looks like that side facade could be opened up to some great windows too.
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Brette
Bernstone's was closed by the authorities after a phone tip that they were keeping Prince Albert in a can.
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phrank
I remember seeing an artist's rendering for a 25-story glass high rise office tower for this site in the late 1980's. With Pilot Field just opening, this was a prime corner. Mind you, this was long before the building now housing City Grille across the street was renovated making that block even more attractive.
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WCPerspective
The balance of the corner is owned by Citicomm, the Toronto-based developer that constructed Key Center and proposed a high-rise for the property that phrank mentions above. The tower proposal may have been a way to inflate the price of the property- the City was looking to construct a parking ramp there to serve the ball park.
Ciminelli is currently marketing the site (along with the Convention Center Ramp lot behind the Hyatt):
http://www.ciminellirealestate.com/public/buffalo/devindex.asp
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flyguy
A surface lot and closed down one story building hugging the corner with nothing adjecent to ot is very sad in a downtown area. Hope this area develops with something big time sooner rather than later.
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urbansoul
I see this as a diner. It's customers will be the breakfast, lunch and post bar crowd. The post bar crowd will be in mass numbers once Canal Side is developed and everyone starts hanging out there.
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carl
it is easy to say something is an "easy fix", with out exploring the horrors waiting inside.....
this is the primary reason the am&a's building is sitting empty.
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newskylinebuffalo
How about Newell starting a cafe in there? And perhaps he could add some more stories to it? ;-) I'm surprised more people don't start restaturants/cafes/shops more often.
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mandajrn
oh man, i'd love to.
no, let me edit that -- i'd love to run the finished product.
but, as the daughter of a buffalo restauranteur...i unfortunately know too much of how hard it is to start a business and make it work. in general, but in buffalo specifically.
still, the spot looks really, really sweet. i'd love to see the inside. i have ideas already....and yeah, the sign is a definite stay.
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phrank
It's sites like this that make me cringe when I hear we need more downtown 'shovel ready' sites. Remember the mid-rise proposal for the AM&A's site rumored to be for M&T Bank? Why not this site instead? Of course, they ended up on Delaware on a truly shovel ready site since it wasn't even a parking lot, a grass field.
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STEEL
The tower on this site was dropped when the developer was asked to build Key Center.
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KavanaghQC
Perhaps we should deed it to the Senecas who could reopen the tobacco store at reasonable prices, causing fewer people to drive to the Rez for cigarettes...they could also sell knock-off Starbucks coffee at reduced prices and a few one-armed bandits in a back room behind a curtain for atmosphere.....
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Joshua
@mandajrn - I've also had a thought of this being another lunch spot - w/ coffee of course. There are not a whole lot of resturants on this end of Main St. for the workers to grab something quickly.
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UrbanGuy
knock it down or build around it, but that lot is a prime spot for development.
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Joshua
Well if this building is knocked down, it will just become a parking lot, which is something no one wants. It will take 30 years or never to build something else. I suppose no one is keeping up on the economy right now.
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scooter
Mighty Taco, Jims Steak Out, Just Pizza. Any good, fast, local restraunt that could make most of its money on a lunch crowd would work well here.
How much is Ciminelli marketing the space for? What are the lease or sale details?
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WCPerspective
Citicomm's highrise plan:
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Joshua
@scotter - maybe Globe Market
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Joshua
@WCPerspective - what are they waiting for?
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sbrof
ohh.. A mighty taco downtown would be an instant hit....
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Joshua
@sbrof - I agree Might Taco. Who wants to start a franchise?
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sbrof
ohh.. A mighty taco downtown would be an instant hit....
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Joshua
I suppose some people think Mighty Taco would not be a good idea??
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drohde
Mighty Taco is a great idea! But can mighty taco's sign resemble the bernstone sign.
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Joshua
I don't think you would want to resemble it. Each business has their own branding.
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BuffaloBloviator
When I retire, I would like to go there every afternoon and sell cigars and newspapers. Downtown gentlemen can step into the cigar lounge and discuss topical matters of importance. Thats how local issues were discussed before computers, they used cigars!
I will pick up right where the last owner left off.
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crisa
Speaking of "where the last owner left off", I told my husband Bernstone's is a topic at this BRO and there are pictures--so he came to look.
We had both been in there when, we think, Mr. Bernstone himself was there--a small, bent over man--and we both remember the wonderful mixture of smells of UNBURNT cigars that drifted out as soon as the door was opened. I'll bet the shop still holds those odors.
Anyone remember two bucks for 50 Factory Smoker No. 1s? (The equivilant of knock offs or irregulars). If my husband could find them again he would go back to smoking!
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buffalobooster
That site housed two separate businesses. The cigar store and a small diner. The diner didn't do enough business to stay open. I used to go there for lunch. Reasonable prices and quick service, but not enough traffic to make $$.
The idea of a mighty taco would be awesome. I actually think downtown could support two of them; one at each end. Maybe near the HSBC Arena and another one near Delaware and Chippewa. I want a super mighty now!!
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buffalo2wheeler
I've daydreamed about turning that building into a "bicycle station", where bicycle commuters could lock up their bikes for the day (indoors), shower, dress for work, lock their bike clothes in a locker, and then jump on the train to complete their commute if they wanted to. It would be a reverse fitness club, where you do all your exercise riding there, not sitting on a stationary cycle in an iPod world of your own.
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buffalo2wheeler
I've daydreamed about turning that building into a "bicycle station", where bicycle commuters could lock up their bikes for the day (indoors), shower, dress for work, lock their bike clothes in a locker, and then jump on the train to complete their commute if they wanted to. It would be a reverse fitness club, where you do all your exercise riding there, not sitting on a stationary cycle in an iPod world of your own.
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carl
starbucks?
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