Talk about a local success story. O'Connell's started off in business in 1959 with just 300 sq.' to work with. Now the company is undergoing substantial interior and exterior renovations to accommodate a business that will soon occupy more than 5000 sq.'. Located in the University District, the family owned and operated clothing company has continued to grow, even during all those years when Main Street was being dug up.
Now the facade is being bricked (formerly clapboard) and the entire front of the store is getting an 'extreme makeover'. The project is slated for completion as soon as October 15th. That means that three entire floors of retail clothing, mixed in with space for alterations, will be unveiled... and topped off with a sharp new urban facade. Soon there will be bigger display windows and state-of-the-art outdoor lighting. The intention is to bring back a look that could once be found in many of the city's commercial districts. There will be a modern/European glass canopy awning that will greet people when they enter into what will be, for the first time, a front entrance (formerly on the side of the building). And don't worry about the famous O'Connell's sign... it's currently being spruced up and will soon be returned. The Huber family is very excited to unveil all of the improvements... even though customers can still gain access to the shop from the back entrance (these guys wouldn't even shut their doors while under construction). All of the capital improvements were privately paid for, and much of the investment stems from a response to the capital improvements that were sunk into the University District's streetscape.
For those of you who may not have realized, as I did not, O'Connell's first floor is comprised of men's clothing, while the second floor is dedicated to the ladies, and there are youth sizes available too. Many of the lines that are carried have set record sales figures through this location, and due to a large chunk of dedicated online sales, O'Connell's' customers are now shopping from Rochester, Canada, California and the UK. Actually a surprising number of customers hail from Rochester. Plus, with the Canadian dollar now being on par, the family is seeing a surge in buyers from Hamilton and Toronto. This one location has proven to be the perfect spot to attract both suburbanites and city-dwellers. Buffalo has been a very good market for us," John Huber told me. "Our customers have been very good to us and we've grown because of their support. We own the building and now we're extremely happy to be investing back into Buffalo."
O'Connell's has been in business since 1959 and is located at 3240 Main Street in Buffalo. Their phone is 716.836-4140. For additional information on their clothing lines, please visit their website at www.oconnellsclothing.com.
Architect - Architectural Resources
Construction Services - Peyton Barlow
Photo (L-R): Bernhard Huber (CEO), Darryl Cadle (Merchandise Manager), Ethan Huber and John Huber