Partnering Up For Elmwood
“We just celebrated our fourth anniversary in Lancaster. At the same time we are so exciting to move to the Elmwood Strip. I’ve really come full circle… I gave birth to my son when I was living on Elmwood Avenue and now we’re business partners. Even though we are moving from Lancaster, I am expecting that clientele to follow us into the city. We specialize in vegan and vegetarian dishes though we don’t limit ourselves to that alone. This morning my pastry chef made vegan peanut butter cookies and they were incredible – I’m not a vegan myself, but I Iook forward to having those choices.
“Elmwood is where we want to put all of our energy. We’re going to offer our customers a choice of full service dining or they can go into the coffee house section for take out. Breakfast specials like focaccia stuffed French toast with triple berries will be available all the time. We’re also going to be serving crepes, paninis (named after city streets), and a salad called The Forest Lawn. We're having fun and we want The Korner Kaffé to be a fun place for everyone.
“As of now we're trying to get open by Friday... it’ll be a soft opening at first. We want to grow with the community rather than being a corporate monster. My mix-masters are top-notch baristas - we do probably about 250 coffee drinks - raspberry chocolate truffle being one of my favorites. The awning is coming in at the end of the month, but the patio will be available Friday for the opening. There is a public parking lot right next door on Forest, though we're relying on the heavy foot-traffic at this location. The neighborhood is already stopping in to talk to us and everyone is wishing us luck - we're actively adopting the streets around us. One of the first things on our list is to clean up the garbage on the street and we're going to plant flowers in the public lot – it’s a real mess right now. The restaurant is a team effort between me and my son Moe. He’s a fan of tattoos, so you can expect the artwork to be tattoo designs. The kids want to be a part of something and we want to offer that while we watch over them... I'm like everybody's mom.”
The Korner Kaffé is located at 577 Forest Avenue. Phone is 716-995-0681
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Comment Options
RhodeIslandBoy
A welcome addition, but heinous signage...
Somebody hire a graphic artist.
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Hoss
Sounds like a great menu, a good concept for that area, and a nice family business. I will definitely give them a some business when they open.
Though I have to agree with RIBoy. That sign repels me. The font looks like it came out of a Ricochet Rabbit cartoon. Kinda goofy, kinda western, kinda 60's, kinda hard to read. I actually had to squint to read it. Though maybe once the awning is in place, it will read better.
Best of luck. I really look forward to it. I'm no vegan, but several friends are. It will be nice to have another option for them when they visit me from the big cities.
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stephenjames716
who cares about the sign! the bottom line is that there will be a new restaurant taking the place of an empty storefront.
good luck Donna and Moe!
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buffaloed
Yea- who does care about the sign? I am personally not offended by it. It sounds like they have some really cool menu offerings so I'm pretty excited about that. It's also nice to have this be a family owned and operated establishment. I wish Donna and Moe all the success in this adventure.
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estreet
why would the for lease sign still be up.
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Matthewjohnp
Close to Topic: What is that mess going up in front of Pano's? What f^%$#@ eyesore!
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NorPark
Well, Donna certainly seems to have a grasp on things and is saying all the right things. Best of luck to you!
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Aloha
I wouldn't be surprised that people are commenting on the signage. A week or so ago, some people here got upset about the font used for the signage at the recently-opened Havana House. So there are clearly many people on this site who get their world rocked very easily. Next someone will be complaining about the salad named after a cemetary. (Oh yeah, maybe that one is a little weird.) Anyway, this place looks great, sounds better, and I can't wait to go!!!
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mbhxam
Yeah seriously...my God...WTF Pano's...that thing is going to be an eyesore on elmwood for decades to come...
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CityLiving
I knew the owner of Plat-ohs. He moved because the rent was ridiculous. And he was doing pretty well too. Hopefully it has been lowered. Good luck!
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rubygreta
The signage is fine. Show's a little imagination.
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ArtGypsy
Discussions don't need to be all cheerleader or all negative. The new restaurant sounds great and I am now looking forward to the opening, but I have to tell you, when we first saw the sign I groaned and pictured a tacky diner with greasy burgers and lots of yellow cheese on everything. It's a combination of the font and the "clever" use of the letter K. My world isn't rocked and I am not complaining, nor am I upset. I'm making an observation about a new business opening in my neighborhood. Donna and Moe..wishing you much luck. We will be there. It isn't easy finding good veggie food around here and the drive to Amy's is a bitch with all the road work. You will do very well here, I'm thinking.
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Dan
Yeah, that sign is rough. There's a business in there, but signage that is poorly designed and difficult to read doesn't provide a good impression.
Signage design in Buffalo, like many things design oriented, is a reflection of Buffalo's limited design literacy. Consider the prevalence of Brush Script presented an in entirely un-ironic manner; it's Buffalo's unofficial official typeface. Buffalo is a budding center for typeface design (P22 and other foundries, Buffalo TypeCon coming up, etc.), so there's no reason why so many local businesses have branding that appears to have been designed by your aunt - the one that sends you email glurge all the time.
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comptart_lws
Besides the font and the "Korny K" there is (I believe) a zoning issue with the signage. I do believe that the ordinance is 1 sq ft per linear foot of frontage. That's how it is on Elmwood, at least! This appears to be well in excess of that. I agree w/ ArtGypsy (above) that this sign conjures up visions of greasy burgers and yellow cheese. A long-awaited opening facing 2 art museums deserves better. That said, best wishes for your success at the new location!
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tudorguy
I agree with ArtGypsy - I'm glad there's a new restaurant, and it sounds great - but the sign is a turn off. That sort of thing DOES play into where people do and do not go (that's why there's Ad Agencies and graphic artists). I WAS a bit confused about the possible opening because the "for lease" sign is still up - I didn't know if it was akin to that diner on Main and North that used to be a repair station - it got all fixed up with a name, and now there's a for sale/rent sign. Anyway, I wish them luck, sounds like a great menu!
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jattea
It's always great to get a new business in town, and I wish them the best of luck..
BUT... Both the sign and the name are terrible. Misspelling words intentionally (substituting Ks for Cs) is so hackneyed and outdated. And the typeface is absolutely unreadable. The black outlines turn the letters into amorphous messes, and the rest of the sign is just too busy.
I think it cheapens the corner. Imagine a more creative, colorful, and readable sign -- something funky and original that embodies the Elmwood Village lifestyle. This sign is more Niagara Falls Boulevard than it is Elmwood.
I also agree that the typeface for the new Sangria restaurant is terrible (@Aloha - I think people were complaining Sangria's sign, not Havana House's, which I think is nice). Sangria's typeface, Papyrus, is REALLY overused and cheap-looking. If you're opening a restaurant, drop the extra $50 to license an original, creative typeface so it doesn't look like you just scrolled through all of Microsoft's free fonts until you found one that looks vaguely "ethnic."
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Aloha
"...that's why there's Ad Agencies and graphic artists."
And no doubt at least a few graphic artists leaving their esoteric comments around this site. I mean, does the average casual reader actually look at a sing and recognize its Papyrus font?
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nb3004
They don't recognize it, but they know they have seen it before. We're talking about more than just fonts, its branding too, one reason that McDonalds, Apple, or StarBucks became so big is because they had unique logos that made people recognize that a product or storefront was related to that company. It's how you go from storefront off the elmwood strip, to local success story, to national chain. See Ted's, Mighty Taco, or ETS for local examples.
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paragon
Signage is so very important. It is the first impression people have about your business. It can be the difference if they go inside or not. A business' signage/logo should also convey what the business inside is all about. This signage surely does not suggest anything vegetarian. Also being near the galleries this design should appeal to a higher demographic than it does. And most importantly signage should be VERY legable!
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jattea
I'm not a graphic artist (far from it!), but I immediately recognize a badly designed logo/sign. Anything that uses a free Microsoft font like Papyrus immediately looks lazy and cheap to me.
I can't imagine that this sign is appealing to anyone. A colorful, original, artistic sign, representative of the neighborhood style, would be much more appealing and inviting. The sign gives the first lasting impression of a place, and this sign says "cheap, dirty restaurant." How unfortunate, since their menu sounds great!
Example: Check out these creative signs I found just by doing a quick google search:
http://www.vanwinklesigns.com/thumbs/smltigrlily.jpg
http://www.greenvilledailyphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/20070713_pomegranate_600x400.jpg (Beautiful, easy-to-read custom typeface)
http://www.artsigns.com/images/photos/cafe_uno_toronto/outdoor_wall_sign_cafe_uno_toronto.jpg
etc...
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wizardofza
You yuppies need to STFU about the damn sign. Not everything in the Elmwood area has to conform to your queer-eye-for-the-straight-guy aesthetic standards.
This place is going to be great for the neighborhood. The need for an unpretentious, student-friendly eatery/cafe in this area is great and this place looks like it will step up to the plate to fulfill this need. The only real suggestion I'm going to make is that a bike rack out front would be key. Alot of the veg/vegan types ride bikes everywhere.
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nb3004
We're not talking about "queer-eye-for-the-straight-guy" aesthetics or conforming to the perceived look of elmwood. We're talking about business and marketing. All of us want and hope that this place does really well, they are entrepreneurs who are taking a chance opening up a business in Buffalo, and I think that's great. We're just saying that a logo and it's subsequent branding is more important than people are giving it credit for.
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mbhxam
Ah yes, I was surprised this post continued without a mention of a bike rack for so long...whew!
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Brette
I'm just *dying* for one of those Forest Lawn salads, she said breathlessly...
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LightoftheMoon
I'm impressed that so many people get it around here... signage IS very important, and can be the difference between someone walking in or walking by. If what you're communicating is contradictory to what your business is all about (or does not accurately portray your company values/characteristics), you're doing a disservice to yourself and your potential customers. An impression of "greasy burgers & yellow cheese" will not attract anyone looking for quality, healthy food. Graphic design is not just about looking pretty-- it is visual communication.
That said, I am excited that this is opening up. That space has been vacant for way too long and I look forward to checking it out. Best of luck to Donna & Moe. But, it is clear even from just the comments displayed here that visual identity does matter. I'd love to see an appropriate new sign go up before the grand opening!
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impressingagent
what! you guys have a problem with my work. just kidding. its nice to see something done on this side of the street. Though i think they are not identifying with the qualities of this ka ka ka korner. Kind of interesting how it appears to be both busy and quiet at the sometime. Perhaps they can go for that gypsi look.
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MJWorthington
A lot of people here are mentioning the sign based off of first impressions of looking at it. This is how a good portion of new buisness originates. People seeing a sign, getting curious and venruing in.
Fist looking at the article I saw the sign before reading anything. My first thought was a "dollar general" type store was going in with the "Quick Draw Mcgraw" font. until I focused enough to make out the word "Kaffe". the next vibe was a greasy spoon type place especially with the "K" substitution. nothign about the sign says specialty or vegan.
The place does sound great and I do wish them the best. A lot of peopel here are. Which is why they are contructively critiziing the signage. Many thanks to the new buisness and there desire to clean up and plant around th ebuilding. The whole neighborhood wins and it creates positive inertia.
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jattea
Wizardofza - easy there, internet tough guy. no need for name calling. Do you think it's wrong to hope that new businesses opening in your own neighborhood don't look like crap? I live around the block from this place, and I think the storefront looks like absolute garbage. The sign and the name are terrible. This place looks like it belongs in Cheektowaga.
A nice sign doesn't make a place pretentious or "queer-eye."
I appreciate how difficult and risky it is to open a business. I really hope they are successful, but I think they've gotten off to a bad start with this ugly, uncreative sign.
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Starman
My first thought on seeing this sign was "too bad a loser place is opening up here after being vacant so long. Well, it won't last long." Driving by the first time, I couldn't actually read the sign, and my passenger had to make it out for me. I couldn't take my eyes off the road long enough to figure it out. The article makes me have a more hopeful outlook. But I hope that logo is not already on their menu, napkins, etc. It is terrible!
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Dave
My impression from the signage is that this place will have plastic chairs and fluorescent lighting.
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Metropolis
Success is not just about putting any old business in a vacant storefront, putting product in the store and throwing up a sign (and a bike rack). It's about branding, marketing, unique high-quality products and great people and service.
A spin on something your mother used to say - "If you can't do something right, don't do it at all."
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Brette
"If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly." --G.K. Chesterton
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Dori
Nothing says "welcome to the neighborhood" than "your sign stinks"! C'mon people. Am I the only one who thinks the most productive way to give this unsolicited constructive criticism is to patronize the restaurant after it opens, enjoy the food and then... maybe... impose upon the owner your opinions on both the food and the sign. Or is that too confontational??
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LightoftheMoon
I do hope they don't get too discouraged by the comments on the sign... however, most (admittedly, not all) of the criticisms have been constructive, and paired with best wishes as well as intentions of visiting regardless of the signage. This is free kind of focus group, coming from members of the community who care about what their new place looks like--and are planning on patronizing it. It would be to their advantage to take this into consideration before spending the money to expand this look to the rest of their print materials (menus/napkins already mentioned). Which would mean before they open.
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leadi
How about a "contest" to design their new logo like the Village Beer Merchant did? Maybe these owners would be open to that idea? Or instead of criticizing what the current logo is, maybe some of the designers commenting here on BRO can offer their services to the new owners?
(Please drop the Kreative use of K's because it is Korny and Kompletly dated and makes the sign Konfusing to read while driving and Kould Kause and accident.)
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paragon
Just a thought http://paragonadvertising.com/KornerCafe.jpg
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anothersaab
not to nitpick and i apologize if someone else has already brought this up but... aside from the poor font choice, the place isn't on the corner. seems to be an oversight.
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hungry
I think a lot of the comments about the graphic design are well-reasoned. And, I quite liked the design idea from paragon (above). (I have no connection with paragon, I promise...) I like the proposed design very much. It's good enough, I think, to detract from the less-than-brilliant name. Besides, if a product or service is good enough, it will surpass the level of its moniker. Example: "The Beatles" was a fairly lame name, but they did all right! Finally, I can't WAIT to stop by the new restaurant! Best wishes.
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jattea
Nice, Paragon! If only it was spelled with Cs and not Ks, that sign would be perfect (except for the spelling of "cuisine" -- sorry to nitpick!)
I hope the owners do read this. I really don't mean any offense with my comments. Like I said, I really hope they do well. I just think they could vastly increase their customer traffic with a more readable, inviting sign -- like Paragon's!
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drl
Another veg option in the city!! Woohoo@@
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comptart_lws
Paragon: much nicer but still, doesn't Komply with Kode (1 sq ft per linear foot of frontage)
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Dave
Paragon: That design is fantastic! I love it. It’s contemporary and very fresh. It would make me want to go in there. Good job, did you do it? I wish more people in buffalo would value the use of designers.
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mybuffalo
i was wondering when the eff something was going to open up there, i started buff state in 03 and the old place closed around that time, i always thought it would be an ideal location for pretty much anything, surprised it took this long
ohh miii godzz where is teh byke rakxxx?!
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Dan
Might I suggest some authentic, honest and rel sign that truly reflects Buffalo-style graphic design?
http://i33.tinypic.com/2cooaau.jpg
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Dan
Damn typos.
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doc
hideous signage. ugly ugly ugly...and what's with the K's?
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MJWorthington
Very Nice Paragon!......as they say in the auto industry, its costs the same to bend ugly sheetmetal as it does pretty sheetmetal. You just have to pay for the better design.
And very funny Dan.....but how about an "Orange Crush" sponsorship instead? ;)
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icecreamsub
I apologize if this was already brought up, but.........what's up with sign?
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ridelong
walked by and stopped in today. Had an AWESOME panni. There was live music and the place was pretty full. The staff was friendly and it was a very relaxed atmoshere. They onlny had a limited menu and only the cafe was open. I plan on going back soon and am looking forward to the full menu! Totally not a greesy burger joint. Best of luck to the business owners!
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ridelong
walked by and stopped in today. Had an AWESOME panni. There was live music and the place was pretty full. The staff was friendly and it was a very relaxed atmoshere. They onlny had a limited menu and only the cafe was open. I plan on going back soon and am looking forward to the full menu! Totally not a greesy burger joint. Best of luck to the business owners!
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Kornerkaffe
I wanted to thank everyone for your best wishes regarding the Korner Kaffe'. It means so much for Moe & I to have our community encouragement. Even the signage opinions were constructive and we had already thought of changing it down the road. We had limited funds and needed a sign and it will at least let people know we are there for now. I just wanted to let you know we have hit another difficult obsticle and will need to close for a couple more days to try to remedy it. I will try to keep you posted as we go. Once again thanks for your support!
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