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These type of nights should indeed happen more often.

BUT...

If we really want streets like Elmwood to be bustling with foot traffic in the late hours (other than people stumbling to and from bars), there needs to be more stores that actually sell things people need on an everyday basis.

More grocers...more pharmacies...more discount odds and ends schlock stores, how about a hardware store?? All of this needs to be to the street and not behind a big parking lagoon too.

I read somewhere that the most used store on Elmwood is the Wilson Farms at the corner of Aurburn . Go figure....

um, maybe more stores would be open later and more businesses would come to elmwood, if people would shop at the existing businesses in elmwood village/allentown. instead of going to the mall and target then complain there's nowhere to shop in the city. we should support what we have.

I am VERY impressed with Lab Indigo. Their ever changing window displays are the most exciting anywhere along Elmwood Avenue. What a fantastic recent new additon to Elmwood. Thanks for being here.

More 8pm or 9pm nights would benefit the businesses--especially on Hertel Avenue and Elmwood.

The Hertel Ave. restaurant scene there is the hottest in the city right now--and it's creating a significant increase in foot traffic...and attracting people from the suburbs. It's the 'specialty' retailers who stand to do well--keeping people spending $$ in the city.

'Hmmm'...I would debate a need for more grocers and pharmacies. There are an excess of pharmacies in this town...including those housed in the big supermarket chain stores. Do we need more Walgreens and Rite Aids--with their suburban strip mall design schemes? I think not. With regard to grocers...we have locally owned and operated specialty stores with the CO-OP on Elmwood and Guercio's in close proximity to Elmwood...and Caruso's and Dash's on Hertel.

BCB - in reference to Lab Indigo: I stopped in there during the "week o' no power", and the owner (like several other businesses) was open despite being without lights and heat. I bought an amazing vintage winter coat, and my girlfriend bought a gorgeous vintage velvet blazer at what the owner called a "cash and carry discount". Even before the discount, the prices were very reasonable! We chatted for a bit, and he said that he gets new merchandise just about every week. He had some gorgeous masks for sale, and some other really unique (but wearable) items. I was especially pleasantly surprised to see vintage items in sizes larger than an 8. I definitely plan on going back often!

If those nights actually translated into sales, I think you would see the stores increasing their hours of operation. We just can't be open for entertainment's sake.

I would dig a 24-hour gym. Downtown BAC's hours SUCK.

'shop owner'...'open for entertainment's sake'...? One would think that 'sales' go hand-in-hand with actual 'selling' and/or customer service. Would it be far fetched to suggest that any shop owner would relish the opportunity to win new business and increase sales by providing alternatives to the suburban mall/ national chain scene?

And I think the suggestion here is to increase the hours of operation to 2...or 3 maybe even (on the aggressive side)--out of 7 nights--per week at the most...till @ 8 or 9pm.

This must be a trent. I recently moved here from Northern CA and there is a street that is very similar to Elmwood. Lot's of boutiques and restaurants. Most stores start closing at 5 or 6pm even weekends. I could never go shopping there during the week because by the time I was off work the stores were closing. I think having late nights (may be a couple of nights a week) would bring more people to the city. Especially those that want to shop after work and may be meeting friends or love ones for a late dinner. May be this is not something that people do her and it's just the Californian in me. But I am one of those shoppers that like to have options when it comes to store hours specially when I don't want to go to a mall or target.

There are several stores with later hours. My store Urban Clothing Co. is open 7 days a week and till 8pm Wednesday thru Saturday. Several stores in the area are also opened at least until 8pm on Thursday and Friday, like Lab Indigo, Ami-Me, Everything Elmwood, New World Record and many more. Do we need more opened later? Yes, and there is a push in the works to try to get more stores to join in and try to stay open later, and not just for the holidays. The folks down at the Neighborhood Collective along with me and other store owners are spearheading an effort to get more stores to stay open later. Stay tuned and support your local merchant.

There are several stores with later hours. My store Urban Clothing Co. is open 7 days a week and till 8pm Wednesday thru Saturday. Several stores in the area are also opened at least until 8pm on Thursday and Friday, like Lab Indigo, Ami-Me, Everything Elmwood, New World Record and many more. Do we need more opened later? Yes, and there is a push in the works to try to get more stores to join in and try to stay open later, and not just for the holidays. The folks down at the Neighborhood Collective along with me and other store owners are spearheading an effort to get more stores to stay open later. Stay tuned and support your local merchant.

I live in Phoenix now, every first friday of the month , downtown Phoenix galleries and streets artists stay open late for crowds of people to browse. there are DJ's, live bands, fire twirlers, live demonstrations, food, live poetry readings.... every first friday of every month... do yous have such a thing? start one, thier awsome!

A better mix of local and national retailers would help boost sales for all and would bring in more people. And it can be done in a way that preserves the character of Elmwood Avenue. See Saratoga, NY and Old Town Alexandria, VA.

The Gap, Banana Republic, Pottery Barn and your local stores CAN prosper together.

Stores on the Potomac/Bidwell block have had later hours for over a year… started with Sunday Skate and me (Elmwood Village Fabrics) and now, we have Sweet & Dirty and room too. The hair salon is even open late and Sahara Grill, of course. I'm pretty sure Talking Leaves is open most evenings too… there's more to Elmwood than the 2 blocks between Ferry & Lafayette!

Thin Ice is open until 7 almost every night of the week and Ame Mi is open until 8 seven days a week. Lu Modern Classics is open until 8 as well. It seems to me that the majority of stores on Elmwood ARE open later. ??

Mix It Up - I agree. I think that oftentimes on this site people oppose others' actions for the sake of opposition (e.g., tell shop owners how to run their businesses or treat national retailers or casino operators as evil). Maybe, like parents always say, "It means we care."

But the more good actors that we have in the City of Buffalo, the more things will change for the better. This includes national retailers on the strip, which would bring more choices to consumers, more choices to those contemplating a move to the city, and an increase in retailers' drive to keep prices competitive. If the Gap morally or aesthetically offends you, keep walking.

I hope to hit many of these nights with MORE LIVE MUSIC street performance for shoppers, bar hoppers, walkers, thinkers, and other artists as well! Look for me with my percussion goodies and more until the snow falls so abundantly that I can not perform... or unless I have a studio or other performance calling on said night... I hope to see a lot more of this as well! Also, I have more comments to share but time is precious currently!

Blessings ring out to all!

Yes, the stores should stay open late on weekends like the rest of the profitable businesses in other cities. The Buffalo Mind Set needs a change to catch up with other major cities. I am originally from Bflo, now living in Ft Lauderdale. Even in off season, the boutique and variety shops are open until midnight on weekends on Las Olas Blvd for an example. Bflo would do great, an example is the Chippewa district which I enjoyed on my last visit.