Every year, the Elmwood Village goes out of its way to provide an extra cheery shopping experience to its residents and those who make the special trip to its many boutiques and restaurants. This year is certainly no exception, and I know because I did a little shopping myself this weekend.
At night the glow of the lights from the avenue’s many trees and storefronts is heartwarming, making the fact that most of the stores are open until 10PM on Fridays a special treat. Not only can I get my shopping done in the evening, but I enjoyed it with a cup of hot cocoa from Spot and a carriage ride from the horse drawn buggy that makes its way along the street from 7 to 10 every Friday evening.
This past Saturday I was impressed with the number of shoppers out and about. There were just enough people to impart that great feeling of the hustle and bustle of the holiday, but not too many to make it overwhelming. Santa seems to do a lot of shopping on the strip himself; we spotted him in and around the shops (where he’ll be between noon and 3 every Saturday between now and Christmas). It was especially fun for the kids to come across him during our day out, and I imagine that visitors to our little neck of the woods would be equally delighted.
Finally, if you’re struggling to find a gift for that person who has everything they need, pick up an Elmwood Village gift certificate. They can be used to purchase products, meals and tickets at over 100 of Elmwood’s shops, restaurants and venues. Elmwood Village gift certificates are available for purchase at both of the Wilson Farms stores on Elmwood (corner of Elmwood and Summer, corner of Elmwood and Auburn) or online (www.elmwoodvillage.org). Available in denominations as low as $5, they make a great gift for teachers, bosses and anyone else that you can think of.
Bill Zimmermann
Bill runs Seven Seas Sailing school, and is a staunch waterfront activist. He is also heavily involved with preserving, maintaining, and promoting the South Buffalo Lighthouse. When Bill first started writing for Buffalo Rising, he wrote an article a day for 365 days - each article coincided with a significant historic event that happened in Buffalo on that same day.