Business reporter Mary Chao highlights a few business openings and business closings in 2017. (Dec. 21, 2017) Mary Chao
We're closing in on another year of openings and closings in 2017 that changed the retail landscape.
The year started with a major closing at The Marketplace Mall in Henrietta followed by other retail development of note. Here are the top five comings and top five closings in the Rochester region this year.
Top Comings
1. REI Co-op at CityGate. Seattle-based outdoors outfitter Recreational Equipment, Inc. — better known as REI — opened in August at Rochester's CityGate development.
More: Outdoors retailer REI opens at CityGate
WATCH:: REI opens at CityGate in Rochester
The new 27,000-square-foot store features outdoor gear and apparel for camping, climbing, cycling, fitness, hiking, travel and paddling. There's also a bike shop with expert assembly and repair services. The chain is known for its expert advice from in-store employees who are also outdoor enthusiasts. A company spokeswoman said Rochester was selected as a site because of the demographics of outdoor sporting fans, from hiking to camping.
Nearby at Market Square on Jefferson Road in Henrietta, Sierra Trading Post opened its first retail store in the region in October. It also offers brand name outdoor apparel and gear at discounted prices, tapping into the region's passion for outdoor fitness.
2. Railroad Street Renaissance near Rochester Public Market. When our family moved to Rochester more than two decades ago, the Public Market was a place to get cheap produce and esoteric foods in a borderline neighborhood. Now, the Marketview Heights area is seeing a resurgence of sorts, especially on Railroad Street with its loft apartments and hipster-chic shops.
New to the Railroad Street development next to the Public Market are two design stores: Elements and Warehouse 127. Elements at 153 Railroad St. offers home decor and gifts in a rustic, neutral toned setting that's currently all the rage. It's next to John Grieco's metal shop and is operated by his wife Laurie Grieco. Just down the street, Kelli Berg just opened Warehouse 127 at 120 Railroad St., an event space with a retail element. Berg is an event planner who is foraying into retail. The natural look is also very evident at Warehouse 127.
More: New home decor shops open near public market
WATCH: New shops near Public Market
The two shops opened earlier in the winter season and will shut down in January and February to reassess retail hours. When it reopens, the area is a great place to grab some coffee and doughnuts from Boxcar on Railroad Street and head down to the shops to browse. The artisan doughnuts are totally worth the $3 to $4 price tag.
Times they are a'changing at the Public Market neighborhood.
3. Qdoba everywhere. While the Qdoba Mexican fast casual chain may be struggling nationally, in the Rochester region, it's on an expansion roll.
This year, the chain expanded to Brighton, Henrietta and Greece with another in Victor on the way near Eastview Mall. The chain first entered the market last year in Penfield followed by a CityGate location in Rochester. It's a Chipotle-like concept with make your own tacos, bowls and burritos.
Meanwhile, this month its corporate parent Jack in the Box sold the Qdoba brand, which has experienced a downturn that it partly blames on higher avocado prices.
More: New gift shops in Fairport, Hibachi Buffet closes and Qdoba opens in Greece
More: New Whitney Town Center in Fairport gets retail tenants; Qdoba is coming to Victor
Funds led by publicly traded investment group Apollo Global Management will pay about $305 million for the Qdoba chain, which is struggling with fast-casual competition as well as higher labor expenses.
4. BayTowne Burlington.
It took some time, but BayTowne Plaza is blossoming along with new stores, most significantly the new Burlington at the old Walmart site in September.
The company formerly known as Burlington Coat Factory is now open at 1900 Empire Blvd. There are two other stores in Greece and Henrietta.
Burlington is an off-price apparel and home products retailer with 567 stores in 45 states and Puerto Rico. It carries an assortment of designer and name-brand merchandise at discount prices.
Baytowne Plaza is still in the process of undergoing an expansion. The plaza features a Walmart Supercenter, Napa Wood Fired Pizza and Planet Fitness.
5. At Home HomeGoods.
Call it the HGTV effect. More home decor stores are opening in the market
More: HomeGoods to open in Henrietta this month and designer goods at military exchange
The latest to open in October is At Home at 1100 Jefferson Road in Henrietta. It is the northernmost location for At Home and the third in the state, with other locations in Syracuse and Albany.
The new, 85,000-square-foot store offers more than 50,000 home decor items from furniture, mirrors, rugs, art and housewares to tabletop, patio and seasonal decor, including more than 100 artificial Christmas tree varieties.
Shoppers will find style ideas throughout the store, with room vignettes that are continually updated to seasonal items. More than 400 new products arrive each week.
The store, in Henrietta Plaza, fills the space of the former Tops Market.
Nearby at Jay Scutti Plaza in Henrietta next to Chuck E. Cheese, a new HomeGoods store opened in September. The off-price retailer offers home decor, furnishings and more. The Rochester At Home is one of more than 25 new store openings across the U.S. this year for the home decor chain.
Top Goings
1. Macy's Marketplace Mall.
It's the end of an era as we know it.
Macy's department store at The Marketplace Mall in Henrietta closed in March. It was part of the slate of 100-plus stores that the company identified for closing. The stores in Victor and Greece remain open.
Macy's, originally R.H. Macy & Co., is a stalwart brand dating back to 1858. It has hosted the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City since 1924. Who can forget the 1947 classic film, Miracle on 34th Street, that challenges Santa Claus to prove his authenticity after he fills in for a Macy's Santa.
Flash forward to present day. Department stores are no longer the center of retail activity. You can blame Amazon, but I think the bulk of the shopping has gone to off-price retailers such as Marshalls and TJ Maxx. That is the one growth sector in retail, in addition to outlets, that The Marketplace Mall is in the process of transitioning into.
What will happen to the space that Macy's occupied at The Marketplace Mall is not yet known and will be a key piece of the mall's transformation.
2. College Town.
What's happening at College Town near University of Rochester? Jimmy John's is the latest restaurant to close in the College Town development in December following Saha Med Grill in November.
Jimmy John's chain specializes in subs and club sandwiches and signature potato chips.
Several businesses have opened and closed at the development near the University of Rochester. The most prominent closure is Constantino's Market at College Town, which closed in February of 2016, less than a year after it opened.
Coming in 2018 to College Town: Tai Chi Bubble Tea will open at the old Corner Bakery spot.
3. Country Curtains.
It was the go-to place for generations of home decorators. But the retail store at 900 Panorama Trail in Penfield closed its doors forever in November. The entire Country Curtains chain, catalog and online retail company specializing in curtains is now gone. After more than six decades in the business, CEO Nancy Fitzpatrick said in a statement to customers that it was no longer able to operate in a way that was financially sustainable.
The Massachusetts-based company started more than 60 years ago as a catalog business. All of its stores — which sell drapes and shades as well as home decor — are to be closed by year's end.
4. Hibachi Sushi Buffet.
Buffets are a tough way to make a living because it is dependent on a steady volume of customers. Many of the area Chinese American buffets have closed in recent years to make way for Japanese restaurants that yield higher profit margins.
One of the area's largest Asian buffets served its last meals in early December. Hibachi Sushi Buffet at South Town Plaza in Henrietta is now a Greek restaurant called Sham.
Co-owner Shirley Au said the business was difficult to keep up with its long hours and rising food prices.
5. The Grill on East.
It's open. It's closed. It's open. And now it's closed again.
The Grill on East inside the Renaissance Apartments building at 2500 East Ave. in Brighton closed in the fall. It was the Flour City Diner owned and operated by chef Jerry Manley before he moved to Spencerport. It was then reborn as Flour City Grill but that closed and then it became Mamma Lucia. Last year, chef Manley returned to his old spot and revived the restaurant as the Grill on East with his famous brunch menu and Taco Tuesdays. But Manley left this summer and now the restaurant has closed.
The revolving door continues at this spot.
MCHAO@Gannett.com