From the creators of Bureau (Made to Measure Clothing) and High Violet Cocktail Lounge comes the next “campus” experience – Postscript (PS), located at the end of a cobblestone alleyway (behind High Violet). The patio of Postscript (open 8am-4pm) doubles as the patio for High Violet (transitions at 5pm). It’s a brilliant little setup, with elevated retail and eatery/cocktails street-side, and a more family-friendly restaurant in back. The idea, according to co-owner Jon Eisenberg, was to utilize all of the buildings, to create a small campus where everything works seamlessly together.
The real surprise at Postscript is the optical illusion of the nondescript “surf shack” garage, which transitions into a vaulted-ceiling café on the inside, with large windows that allows plenty of natural light to come streaming in.
“We wanted to create a family-friendly environment for the Elmwood Village,” said Eisenberg. “This back space transports you, and makes it feel like a Southern California vibe, or a Mexican surf shack. Even in the wintertime, this will be like an escape, with the big windows and skylights.”
Running the kitchen is Jacob Whitefield, who helped with the opening of High Violet, with the understanding that he would take over Postscript when the time came. The menu includes coffee, breakfast sandwiches, avocado toast, salads, and sweet and savory crêpes. Eisenberg suggested that I try The Elvis during a recent visit, which is not exactly one of their lighter dishes, but how could I pass up the suggestion? It turned out to be purely decadent and delicious, but don’t worry… if you’re looking for something on the lighter side, there are a number of options to choose from.
Eisenberg told me that he felt that the trifecta of businesses, operating along this linear footprint, all work well together because the mashup was four years in the making. While Bureau has been around for a decade, the High Violet and Postscript elements have now come together to create a cohesive flow. What started off as the owner-operators tending to the bespoke clothing boutique has escalated into a beehive of 27 employees who have become the heart and the soul of the operation(s).
“We’re cultivating something very special here,” mentioned Eisenberg. “It’s become an incubation house for great ideas. Everyone contributes. All of these elements are vastly different things, but they feel cohesive.”
While you’re visiting Postscript, be sure to look for the postcard rack and the mailbox mounted on the wall. The story goes that the building next door was once a post office, prior to Cecelia’s, and ‘coming soon’ Lloyd Taco. Postscript is a nod to a time (and place) when people relaxed while on vacation, and wrote postcards to friends and family. The cards are pre-stamped and ready to go. Customers can purchase a card for $1, write something out, and then drop it in the mailbox.
During a recent visit, Buffalo Bills players Tyrel Dodson and Spencer Brown grabbed some lunch, and sent postcards to their moms. How cute is that?
Postscript (PS) is now open from 8am until 4pm, Wednesday through Sunday. There is indoor and outdoor seating. Free Wifi. The patio is dog-friendly.
Postscript | 712 Elmwood Avenue | Buffalo NY 14222