By Sandra Gordon Williams
From the light streaming into his new storefront to the artists that he carefully chooses to showcase, a step into Cone Five Pottery - Gallery, and you know that owner Greg Link knows a good thing when he sees it.
Following the migration trail of other Elmwood businesses, Greg Link recently relocated Cone Five to 1507 Hertel Avenue. Ten years since opening his studio on Rhode Island, and with retail stops in Allentown and for the past three years on the corner of Elmwood and Auburn, Link states, "It really came down to the window/storefront exposure."
The new digs also offer more opportunity to showcase more artists: Bob Thomas' beautiful handmade wood boxes, jewelry from Missy Crowell and Donna Sturges among others, the metal work of Molly Atkinson, fine blown glass pieces from Corning glass artists, and Link's own artisan handmade pottery. You can find something for just about everybody here.
There are gorgeous little handmade bowls that would be a perfect gift paired with some pink sea salt for a gourmet salt well, or a set of rice bowls complete with chopsticks paired with a package of wild rice. And one of those mugs with some fine hot chocolate would warm someone's heart.
One of the beautiful hand blown glass ornaments, as well as the whimsical creations of Heather Tuttle would brighten up anyone's tree or window. This is eye candy to be consumed, not just gazed upon.
Also very popular is the Wedding Gift Registry. Custom designed dinnerware sets and serving pieces are personally unique items for a wedding. The couple, in conjunction with Link, can design their own dinnerware. "The nice thing about that is that everything that is registered for, is purchased. And it brings people to the shop that would not have necessarily come into the city to buy a gift."
In addition to more reasonable rent, and more space, there is the added bonus of room to expand. Cone Five also runs wheel and hand-building pottery classes and provides open studio time to members who have some experience in pottery. "We have 20 ongoing open studio members and Gift Certificates for our classes, which are very popular for both adults and youth," Link says.
Hertel Avenue is fast becoming the hot spot in Buffalo to shop.
"I'm a city boy at heart," Link explains. "We looked at spaces in the 'burbs and were considering it, but I felt like I would be betraying the city...and I know people who are struggling out there too. It all seems to come out in the wash."
He simply likes being in Buffalo. "I live in the city, in the Elmwood area, so I could walk to work if I had to. I'm 5 minutes away. And I don't think I could ever get my wife to move to the suburbs," muses Link.
His wife, Melissa chimes in. "We did live in West Seneca for 6 months...it just about killed me!" she says with a laugh.
So, how is business going in the current economy?
"Honestly, I've been doing so much better here than on Elmwood. I think it was just the exposure that I didn't have there, the window that I needed makes a huge difference. I didn't want to move again, but it has been good," Link says. "Especially on weekends--it's buzzing down here, with the restaurants the bars, the galleries--it has been really good."
Cone Five Pottery - Gallery
1507 Hertel Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14216
716.332.0486
http://www.conefivepottery.com
Wednesday - Saturday, 11- 6, or by appointment.
View image
From the light streaming into his new storefront to the artists that he carefully chooses to showcase, a step into Cone Five Pottery - Gallery, and you know that owner Greg Link knows a good thing when he sees it.
Following the migration trail of other Elmwood businesses, Greg Link recently relocated Cone Five to 1507 Hertel Avenue. Ten years since opening his studio on Rhode Island, and with retail stops in Allentown and for the past three years on the corner of Elmwood and Auburn, Link states, "It really came down to the window/storefront exposure."
The new digs also offer more opportunity to showcase more artists: Bob Thomas' beautiful handmade wood boxes, jewelry from Missy Crowell and Donna Sturges among others, the metal work of Molly Atkinson, fine blown glass pieces from Corning glass artists, and Link's own artisan handmade pottery. You can find something for just about everybody here.
There are gorgeous little handmade bowls that would be a perfect gift paired with some pink sea salt for a gourmet salt well, or a set of rice bowls complete with chopsticks paired with a package of wild rice. And one of those mugs with some fine hot chocolate would warm someone's heart.
One of the beautiful hand blown glass ornaments, as well as the whimsical creations of Heather Tuttle would brighten up anyone's tree or window. This is eye candy to be consumed, not just gazed upon.
Also very popular is the Wedding Gift Registry. Custom designed dinnerware sets and serving pieces are personally unique items for a wedding. The couple, in conjunction with Link, can design their own dinnerware. "The nice thing about that is that everything that is registered for, is purchased. And it brings people to the shop that would not have necessarily come into the city to buy a gift."
In addition to more reasonable rent, and more space, there is the added bonus of room to expand. Cone Five also runs wheel and hand-building pottery classes and provides open studio time to members who have some experience in pottery. "We have 20 ongoing open studio members and Gift Certificates for our classes, which are very popular for both adults and youth," Link says.
Hertel Avenue is fast becoming the hot spot in Buffalo to shop.
"I'm a city boy at heart," Link explains. "We looked at spaces in the 'burbs and were considering it, but I felt like I would be betraying the city...and I know people who are struggling out there too. It all seems to come out in the wash."
He simply likes being in Buffalo. "I live in the city, in the Elmwood area, so I could walk to work if I had to. I'm 5 minutes away. And I don't think I could ever get my wife to move to the suburbs," muses Link.
His wife, Melissa chimes in. "We did live in West Seneca for 6 months...it just about killed me!" she says with a laugh.
So, how is business going in the current economy?
"Honestly, I've been doing so much better here than on Elmwood. I think it was just the exposure that I didn't have there, the window that I needed makes a huge difference. I didn't want to move again, but it has been good," Link says. "Especially on weekends--it's buzzing down here, with the restaurants the bars, the galleries--it has been really good."
Cone Five Pottery - Gallery
1507 Hertel Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14216
716.332.0486
http://www.conefivepottery.com
Wednesday - Saturday, 11- 6, or by appointment.
"following the migration trail"...is BRO admitting in print that the retail end of EV is not all that?