The Elmwood Market

It looks as if there is a new market popping up on Elmwood that plans on catering to the wishes of many people in the neighborhood. It's The Elmwood Market goal, and the goal of its owners, Dale Ali and Alex Alasarshi, is to aim to please. "We've been working with the Elmwood Village Association every step along the way," Dale told me. "We've even decided to change our canvas awning color to match the color of the banners on the street. We want to know what the neighborhood wants... other than a brand new market dedicated to customer service and quality products. Our breads will be delivered each morning from Luigi's and Costanzo's. We're going to serve fresh cut deli meats and cheeses and we've just installed two huge walls of custom designed freezers. There will be a take-out restaurant inside with a patio out front. Of course there will be fresh fruits and vegetables too. We plan on offering import and exotic beers, and gourmet coffees and cappuccinos. Customers can even go to our website (www.MyElmwoodMarket.com) to make comments or ask for special requests. From what we can tell, the neighborhood is very excited to see us open."
Besides looking great, the market has plenty of parking, but more importantly will be very convenient for people in the neighborhood who prefer to walk or bike. There will be an automated DVD rental machine featuring the latest releases... and for early morning coffee drinkers and late night movie watchers the market will open at 7am and close at 11pm. There may be additional hours added at a later point in time. Dale tells me that he and his partner opted to stay in Buffalo when given the opportunity to do this in other cities. "My family and friends are here," he said. "We're making a commitment to stay in Buffalo and we're happy to be bringing an upscale market to Elmwood." The Elmwood Market will open in early February. If you want to make a quick request for a product or service, just click here.
The Elmwood Village Market will be located in the former DVD.Dot location (corner of Elmwood and North).

Comment Options
Laird3rd
Great I can't wait. Now that Latinas and Excell produce are closed they should get lots of business. I hope they offer poultry and other fresh meats. Fish would also be nice.
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BackfromMaryland
This is nice news. Hopefully it will be an alternative to the Lexington Co-op. It would be a great to have a place that provides similar convenience, cleanliness, and quality without the focus on everything organic -- and the price premium that comes with it...that's some very pricey luxury chicken! Only the wealthiest chickens die for the Co-op...
With that said, one of the great things about the Co-op is the prepared foods section, which is a great healthy alternative to fast food, always seems very busy and must be very profitable. These guys could probably do something similar and make a mint.
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ChocolateShake
Enough with the trendy and over-priced.. how about something reasonable??
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carlmalone
Hey Chocalate: They'll have dumpsters.
This is great news for this spot. I love it!!
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sbrof
yes! I can't wait! :)
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WCPerspective
How about adding a couple floors on top? Just kidding... Good news indeed.
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ChocolateShake
Yeh Carlie...
You love the spot and so does a lot of street people and hustlers. Is there a correlation?
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BROKEEPSBLOCKINGME
Co op only caters to BRO hippies who drive Outbacks wear LL Bean bluchers and Northface parkas... Oh and have a Golden retriever named Brandy or Skip
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chris69
For the life of me I cannot understand why Guercios on Grant only has one location. I could see them doing very well in Allentown, downtown and south buffalo. heck with the developments in the fruit belt I can see a neighborhood grocery store there as well.
The problem with B-Kwik was nothing more than format....other cities have these small grocery stores and but also with Wegmans style prepared foods. To be honest....yes the city needs more grocery stores but to make neighborhoods livable they city needs these small upscale neighborhood markets too. Its a market niche in downtown and our inner city neighborhoods that hasnt been tapped at all.
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Denizen
This should be awesome for the neighborhood. Allentown/Lower Elmwood could really use something resembling a real grocery store. Hopefully they don't to TOO upscale, as there is a large customer base in the immediate area of students and older people on fixed incomes who would definitely patronize a store with reasonably-priced conveniences.
I think they'll do really good business in this location if they understand their customer base well.
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sally
Beautiful, simply beautifu
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snotnose
Hopefully, they'll play a clean game. There was a shooting at one of the west side markets tonight, hopefully, this place will keep it clean to make sure that doesn't happen here.
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al-alo
BRO,
not that im all about the coop, but so what if its for hippies yuppies, urbanites or whomever? the land rover dealership is only geared to wealthy soccer moms who will never even find out how to turn on the 4 wheel drive. every place has a target market. well, every successful place.
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jstraubinger
I like the idea a lot. What happens to this store though if the rumors are true and Tops moves into the former Latina's etc?
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11111inBlo
I'm glad that they are coming to the area. Hopefully they ARE over priced to keep out the scum bags. Have you ever gone into the laundromat next door? I call it "Crack Head Laundry" and it is usually filled with people that fit the description. I really think this is the reason that Quality Markets and later Latina's went out of business. They are located directly across the street from public housing. Public housing = poor people and poor people = crime.
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al-alo
yeah those seniors in the Stuyvesant are nothing but trouble. cmon now. im no fan of public housing, but the Stuyvesant? more like some of the nearby apt buildings.
and latinas & quality failed as a chain, not just this "bad" location. now im not blind to what goes on in the neighborhood (as today just around the corner i had to chase away a panhandler), but 11111, youve misplaced blame.
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al-alo
and anyway, 11111, why are you washing your delicates w/ crackheads?
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11111inBlo
al-alo
I don't think that they are all seniors. There are 4 buildings on the corner of North and Elmwood that I've seen plenty of non-seniors in and out of...
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icecreamsub
I miss the old Van Slyke pharmacy but this should be a great addition...who needs the excel market when you got this place going up, hopefully the sandwich need will be addressed...but I still think an Aldis is a perfect fit for this area to cater to the poor and cheap people of this neighborhood.....no more stray grocery carts to boot.
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rystephens
Can someone clarify what is wrong with the CO OP? I have been in there twice now and loved that I didn't have to search for organic produce. I would say the people that shop at the CO OP care about what they eat. It is sad we have to pay more money to eat food that is pesticide and chemical free but that is the world we live in. As far as I am concerned the CO OP is geared towards individuals who want organic/ all natural food. What is wrong with that?
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inferno
Orange juice is $6.00. That's what's wrong.
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icecreamsub
I love the CO OP...they can market to whoever they want, it isn't a public service.....their peanut butter is great
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Joshua
This is a great development for Elmwood and the surrounding residents. There are a lot of people within walking distance that this store would be very beneficial for. I hope they have reasonable hours and prices so I can do some shopping there.
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AvaRouge
Is Sally on happy pills?
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urbanboarder
^haha. great to see this highly visible location be redeveloped.
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BuffaloBloviator
I once busted a friend of mine purchasing those $7 a dozen "free-range" eggs at the Lex. She explained to me that the chickens were not kept in cages.
I explained to her that the only thing "free-range" in my kitchen is the oven that I retrieved from somebody's curb.
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tudorguy
Um, let's see.... A: BuffaloBloviator - there are no $7 eggs at the co-op - there are eggs in the $3-4 range, and there are $2.50/doz. eggs as well as $1.79 eggs (I was just there). I was also at Wegmans. A dozen eggs there (regular old Wegmans eggs) were $1.79.
B: Brokeeps: Sounds like you you have some issues with your perceived "Co-op crowd." While quite off base, it also seems like you have some envy issues or something.
C: Inferno: If $6.00 orange juice was the ONLY choice, it would be wrong. It's not the only choice. And there's Wilson Farms for people who don't WANT to go to the Co-op. What's RIGHT is IF someone wants to spend $6 on orange juice, they can. God knows enough people spend more than that on beer.
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Charger
11111inBlo, those four buildings on the corner aren't public housing. That's a private landlord signing up those tenants.
If y'all don't want to shop at the Coop, then don't. Al-alo and others are right, people want different things and can afford to pay different amounts for them. We all make choices about what we choose to spend our money on. I'd rather have a $6.00 carton of OJ than a bottle of Sunny-D, no body's business but my own.
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BuffaloBloviator
Tudorguy,
I share your disappointment that the $7 free-range eggs are no longer carried at the Lex. Personally, I love seeing unbridled (free-range) capitalism on Elmwood. It adds to the political diversity. Try ordering them in.
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gaustad
This place will never make it! Although I appreciate the the idea, this block is loaded with Section 8 housing. These peole eat nothing more than just pizza, chcken wingsn and got the the pink, tuck their sack back and listen to silence of the lambs Buffalo Bill music......is that a run on sentence?
Anyway, not a good place for a high quality grocey market - clean up the section 8 and you will have a better chance....thanks for looking out.
Damien Abbate
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gaustad
OLD PINK IS THE HIGEST REV GENERATING PLACE IN ALL OF ALLENTOWN - FOREVER - AND THE PLACE SMELLS LIKE PISS
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BetterThanDetroit
Hey Damian,
These guys are welcome to try this place in our neighborhood. Can't hurt.
Damien - I have those pics of you and Brinkworth in the parking lot of this place dressed in drag. This place will bring back remarkable, loving memories for the two of you...
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viking
Maybe the thinking is with the Market shaky there is an opportunity. My opinion although there may be a need for another connivence type store in that area that competes with Wilson Farms, market share will be determined by pricing.
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rystephens
Last time I was in Wilson Farms it wasn't that cheap. They just seem to carry more junk food. And hey maybe the market will be a step in the right direction for that spot. There are some nice restaurants and shops there. It could help to bring more nice businesses. I am optimistic. I wish they would open up a nice grocery store on Hertel. Dash's is okay but the layout is horrible and it isn't big enough. :(
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bbvdm
Speaking from experience from working in this area, this store will not last long. The people in this area of Elmwood are nothing but unemployed, non-ambitious, welfare hungry degenerates. They love to steal what they don't want to pay for and have their hands out for money all the time. Most of the people in the housing across the street fall in this category. It's harsh, but it is reality. I wish the busness much luck, but I know the outcome before they open their doors.
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nonono
You wouldn't think I could work in a shot at the Allentown Association on this story, but you would be wrong. This tremendous addition to the community was bitterly opposed by cronies, past presidents and certain long standing members of the AA at a recent members dinner. Invectives such as 'those people', 'that kind of business', and xenophobic epithets were strongly voiced. No one in an official representative capacity for the AA ever bothered to meet with these men. This did not stop the clan like rhetoric and vicious ethnocentric verbal assaults.
So those of you that are members of this ought-to-be-former-association, your member dollars not only contribute to Gerhardt Yaskow's future capital gains (see recent Coit House comments), but to hatred and bigotry in your own community. Good work! For the good people who are very well intentioned on this board, and members of this association, the question is, why do you continue to allow such behavior in your organization from present and past leadership???
It is another shameful chapter of the AA that will probably not appear on any ledger of history.
Thank you Elmwood Village Association for fostering relations with a much needed business the AA actively sought to alienate and obstruct.
Best of luck in this new venture Dale Ali and Alex Alasarshi, the place looks great so far, and is one of the nicest additions we have had to our retail sector in the lower end of Elmwood in quite some time. Thank you for investing in our community with quality and integrity!
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icecreamsub
don't worry, Dash's on Hertel is expanding into the open lot west of them...should make it much less congestive...the one on Colvin is the best market in WNY
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Andrew
^^is that true? that would be great. The Dash´s on Hertel is pretty neglected right now. The one on Colvin is incredable
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stephenjames716
congrats on the new store, I wish you luck in your new business
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buffluv
I am really disappointed to see some of the ignorant comments that have been posted on this thread. First off all about the concept of organic food- yes it is usually more expensive, but it is not poisoned with pesticides, preservatives, and other chemicals, and is less likely to be subject to bioengineering or in violation of fair trade principles. The Co-op is a valuable commodity for those of us in the community who want to have an option to eat and live in a sustainable way. They also have sale items on a regular basis! Even more disturbing than the lack of education on our food supply are the bigoted comments about low income individuals in our community. How about we stop drawing lines and integrate everyone into our community so that they feel like they belong? How would you feel if you were someone living in public housing who read some of these comments? Does this inspire positive change or a cohesive community in any way?
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tudorguy
Buffaloblov - I wasn't saying the co-op no longer carries $7 eggs - I'm pretty positive they never did! I'm was just trying to point out that some people/posts inflate things for their own needs (also the the $50/hr "broom pushers in the Buffalo Tower story) or to make a point - in this case, if the co-op wants to carry items more expensive than the average - so what?
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itsHUGE
funny, dont remember any of these price conscious objections to the soon to be defunct washington market???could this be latent organaphobia or hippyhate in our midst?
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Martin
Living and working in Allentown a good deli could do well, at the moment all we have are section 8 geared deli's that cater to the loser 40ozer/scratch off crowd that feed off the system. In order to change Allentown and bring it back to life we need people like this to believe in the area and invest, such as many home owners and new business owners have done. If I need milk or such , other than getting in the car and driving someplace I am stuck with "Bills" at the corner of Allen...yuch. So I for one do not mind paying a small upcharge for that milk in order for the convienence of this store untill I can hit a grocery store. Should a "Dashes" decide to open in the area, that would even make that corner better. The only thing that would make this store and a Dashes crash and burn would be if they cater to the section 8 factor. In all honesty, I would love to see a store that does not accept food stamps, sell beer, scratch tickets and cheap stoggies. [ Did I just say all that out loud?] No apologies here folks
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WholeLottaJibbaJabbah
I can't stand you people. These people are trying to open up a market and all we get is Hippy Bashing, Co-Op Hating and Section 8 Slamming. The best post on this thread comes from Nonono. You all know there needs to be some form of a market in this area, other than wilson farms. I loved Latina's! I was so mad when they closed their doors. And the more and more I hear about the AA the more I dislike them. It seems to me like they're some sort of Gestapo. Barring local merchants from their Arts Festival, Kicking Robby Takac's music is art out of the city, bitching and moaning all the time about the noise from Allen Street. They're a bunch of Elitist's who have no idea what it's like out there in the world in which most people on this planet live in. I thought the AA Cult, I mean Organizations is suppose to help bring the community together not segregate it even more than what it is.
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Martin
Please, I know like anyone else there is a need for section 8 and food stamps, but Allentown seems to be the destination point for those that just feed off the system and don't give a hoot for the area or Buffalo as a whole. I truly hope this market makes it.
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TownLine
The Allentown Association is not the same as the Allentown Village Society - who are the ones that put on the Allentown Art Festival. They are the ones that battled with Music is Art and do not allow the local merchants in. The Allentown Association is completely separate from that.
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Finch
Shockingly enough I live in Allentown, and I am not an elitist or on section 8, and I am extremely happy to see this market coming into my neighborhood. I will definately give them a shot when they open. I wish them great success!
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nonono
WholeLottaJibbaJabbah
As much as I sincerely appreciate your thumbs up, I need to bring to your attention that the Allentown Association (a not for profit community improvement association in Allentown, whose membership and leadership community based) and the ALLENTOWN VILLAGE SOCIETY (bigger bunch of misguided busy bodies than the AA, who are predominantly established and run by suburban gas bags, whose only function is to perpetuate the Allentown Arts festival, harass local businesses while that festival takes place, to run Robbie Takac out of the hood) gasp.....are entirely different entities.
Another gross failing, and further proof of the long history of incompetence for the AA. That the AA has never been able to establish or foster a sense of this reality in the community......is entirely the result of it's incestuous band of cronies inability to be in continued, honest, and transparent communication with, and inclusive of, an 'entire' community.
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Dan
Plastic foo-foo food boutiques such as this are just another step down the road of turning Buffalo into a generic Anyplace USA, much like Charlotte, Phoenix, or even worse, Amherst. I personally prefer gritty, earthy, real Buffalo-style corner stores, operated by hard-working Yemenese immigrants who chose Buffalo over supposedly more "glamorous" destinations, where one can find a wide selection of honest, real locally produced products such as Genesee Cream Ale pounders, Weber's Mustard, Seneca Nation cigarettes, and well-aged baked goods -- staples of Buffalo's hard-working, working class folks, who are the friendliest in the country.
:D
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TownLine
A neighborhood convenience store is a Foo Foo Boutique? Why, because it has an awning? Would you rather them just put all the alcohol and cigarrette signs up in the window and add some graffiti to the front door? What on earth....
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bison716
Congrats! Keep it moving Buff.
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MikeS
I like the idea of a food store in this location. I live half way between both of the Wilson Farms on Elmwood. If I'm too lazy to go to wegmans I usually end up at a Wilson Farms. I'd rather have an alternative to Wilson Farms that carries simmilar foods. Keep the store ultra clean, run a tight ship and striclty enforce a loittering ban.
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Finch
Do we know when they will be opening?
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duke
Wow, a real deli. it's almost like we're a real city!
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AtwaterLouse
Townline - Dan's comment looks like good satire from start to finish.
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icecreamsub
foo foo market in anyplace USA? its not like Panera Breads or Cold Stone is coming to Allentown......although Panera I wouldn't mind....
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tonyarmani
I love this site - now I remember why I moved out. From hippies to crackheads to liberals and everything in between, someone from outside the city can see why nothing ever gets done here.
Something as simple as a grocery store has inflamed 1/2 of the population of Buffalo...
good luck buff
PS - more beauacracy only makes things worse...
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YESYESYES
Does anybody notice that the poster known as NONONO (AKA itsHUGE) "claims" to know a lot about the Allentown Association? What he, [name deleted], fails to mention is that he was a board member of the organization for 3 years. He along with 20 other board members vote on all actions, no one person has any more power than another. He voted in many of the decisions regarding necessary repair costs and the sale of the Coit House.
He is the first person to slander someone else’s name, but he is a coward. He feels that this annomous forum is a safe place for his paranoid rantings. He has even gone as far as trying to get people fired from their jobs due to personal conflicts. No matter what your different views you just don’t threaten a person’s livelihood.
Can’t this guy just drop it already. Where does he get all his negativity? Take his posts for what they are worth. Please say a prayer for him.
P.S. I have it on good authority that [highly unsubstantiated claim].
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BetterThanDetroit
Get 'em Paulie!!
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YESYESYES
Why can PAUL MORGAN post peoples names, but when PAUL MORGAN'S name is mentioned it is deleted?
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buffawhat
@11111inBlo - I live right across from this new location in one of those buildings you say poor people live in. I'm not public housing, I'm a 22 year old working proffessional, so bite it. There are also about 5 younger tenants in my building and I know of several more in the other two. And So what if the laundromat is full of crackheads? A lot has changed in that area and we have been longing for a new market in that corner. I was hoping for a Bodega of sorts, but this seems to be a bit more upscale. Either way, people will visit and shop there because the only other alternative is the Wilson Farms on Summer. I just hope that folk will give it a chance and not fail it before it opens.
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Joshua
Apparently my statement above has some validity, that this store will be useful to the people in the neighborhood.
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gaustad
I think this website should be re-named Buffalo Falling - all comments on here are now very negative and anti Buffalo - Its a shame that the entire city appears to be help hostage by a select few with now way out! Couple that with our climate and pretty soon everyone will be gone!
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gaustad
I am switching sides - I am now positive - I will single handedly turn this city around!
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BROKEEPSBLOCKINGME
Tudorguy, you should go live in the Section 8 housing across the street, {edit, off topic AGAIN}
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BROKEEPSBLOCKINGME
Yeah dan Im with you, Genny Cream Ale is awesome and I like those Rob n Stops, I mea stop n shops where you can not only get cigarettes and Lotto tix but you can get pistol whipped and robbed all at the same time!!! Hello westside...throwin up the W!!!
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WTF
stop the madness. this place seems okay but just keep an eye on it. if there are problems then complain and complain real loud till you get satisfaction.
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Buffalopundit
Nice deli.
LOVE the editing of comments.
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nonono
who is (name deleted)? who is 'on good authority'? who is yesyesyes? who are the other 20 board members?
is it irony or self serving ignorance that this poster uses a newly created anonymous identity to complain that some one is posting under an anonymous identity?
what about the specific allegations lobbed in this post?
so many questions, so much subterfuge, so few explanations!
"He has even gone as far as trying to get people fired from their jobs due to personal conflicts. No matter what your different views you just don't threaten a person’s livelihood."
.....with out details, names, or substantiation, I would say this sounds like a 'paranoid' ranting!
sounds like someone hit a nerve.
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itsHUGE
yesyesyes,
reread this thread, the only name nonono mentioned was Gerhardt Yaskow in a reference to a post on this site last week, so it would appear the only inappropriate name naming here would be by, um, you!
'coward'........... 'slander' ..................'threatened livelihood'
Ohhhhh Newell, can you spell liable L A W S U I T ?
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RisingDamp666
"Nonono"? Yesyesyes! "Yesyesyes"? Nonono!
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leadi
Come on! Why does every single story have to turn into a fight about Allentown? I don't care about the infighting among the AA board members - it is really getting old reading about it post after post. How about you all battle in private? Can you all please just get each others phone numbers or emails and take care of it like that?
For goodness sakes - just welcome these new business owners to the neighborhood and be done with it! Hopefully everyone shops there and they are around for a long time. Stop bashing everyone that tries to open a new business within the City of Buffalo. It is a GOOD thing that they are opening so stop tainting their good news story with the fighting. It is a great idea, a great location and they have been working with Elmwood Village Association. It will be a great addition to the area and I wish the owners the best of luck.
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al-alo
perhaps the market should unionize.
what?
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YESYESYES
In the article reffrenced in the above post regarding the Coit House PAUL MORGAN names at least 5 people. They are still there I just checked, however PAUL MORGAN'S name is deleted from my original post. How interesting.
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RisingDamp666
Maybe so, yesyesyes, but [deleted] is gonna get his 'pound of flech' one way or the other..
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parkstreetwoman
I could be wrong about this, and I'm sure I will be told so if I am, but Allentown doesn't extend north of North Street, does it?? I'm just sayin'....
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Charger
We all, with a very few exceptions, rely on the anonymity provided by our BRO pseudonyms for one reason or another. The difference, YESYESYES, between referring to people by name in a comment and outing this person you think it someone named Paul Morgan should be clear to you. By outing him you violate a basic rule of the virtual community of which you just now chose to be a part. If you identified yourself it would be somewhat different, but under the circumstances I see no moral high ground upon which you can stand.
Strictly speaking the Allentown Preservation District includes properties on both sides of it's northern boundary, North Street, or so I've been told.
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Charger
its not it's
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ChocolateShake
YesYesYes... we all play by the rules. Until you positively identify yourself then I don't think you have any authority or right to try and out others.
This is a clear example of when BRO should step in and stop someone from abusing the message boards. The character mentioned above adds nothing to the discussion and is molesting this forum to "annoy, harass and intimidate" a member of the community.
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buffaloptlaw
"The people in this area of Elmwood are nothing but unemployed, non-ambitious, welfare hungry degenerates. They love to steal what they don't want to pay for and have their hands out for money all the time.... It's harsh, but it is reality."-bbvdm Who's reality? Take a walk along Irving, Park, Arlington and the other wonderful residential streets in this area! Not to mention all of the professionals in the surrounding medical complexes, attorney offices and banks. Welcome the wonderful reality of a diverse urban environment. This market is a great addition to the corner. Can't wait to catch lunch there! Will there be seating?
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mepolo
As a suburbanite who works in Allentown, and spends her money often in the stores & restaurants in the area, I more than welcome another option for both shopping & dining. BTW....I shop at the Co-op often, find the prices reasonable for the quality of product....and I drive a beat up 95 Ford Escort, a far cry from a Outback. I don't own any LL Bean either! lol
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roaminred
MaybeMaybeMaybe
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yeahright
meanwhile :( ,,,,,,, back to the actual article and a comment by chris69, I have twice asked the owners of Guercios about moving to the old "gay Bells, Gay Quality" and , Latina's... how's that for some obscure references? And each time they said "Oh no we would never consider it ! Can't get good help. " As much as I disagree and would have loved to see them take even half the space of Latina's , remember how every line at Quality/ Latina's would take forever to check out? Maybe the owner of Guercios are on to something. Or can't they trust anyone but family to handle money.....................................?
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Joshua