Dinosaur Bar-B-Que has landed. Finally. The Syracuse-based restaurant has been eyeing the Buffalo market for a couple of years and rumors have been flying on where exactly they would end up. The company is heading to 301 Franklin Street, a building owned by Mark Croce north of the Chippewa Entertainment District that used to store film reels according to The Buffalo News. The 7,200 sq.ft. location will seat approximately 180 diners.
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que opened in Syracuse in 1988 and in Rochester 1998. Harlem followed in 2004 and then Troy in November 2010. Their first out-of-state opened in Newark, NJ in May. Brooklyn and Stamford, CT locations are also planned.
"I've been working with John Stage [Dinosaur CEO] for two years showing them properties," says Croce. "Everyone under the sun was trying to land them. They were a pleasure to work with and were very particular with their search. John goes with his gut and doesn't need demographics to tell him where the best location is. He wanted to be off the beaten path but close to the action."
Croce says 301 Franklin is an ideal spot being close to the Medical Campus, downtown and the Theater District. It is a location that Croce dubbed "restaurant row" fifteen or so years ago when his Coliseum complex opened in 1996. Today, Franklin Street is home to Laughlin's, Rue Franklin, Chop House, Baccus, Bambino's, Soho Burger Bar and others.
Croce said Franklin Street is only improving including his ongoing work at Statler City and future work at the Curtiss Building.
"One building at a time," adds Croce, "we are making the city vibrant again."
Awesome!