Directory/Retail
Eclipse Boutique is an alternative lifestyle and goth shop. Eclipse features many popular brands of clothing including Demonia, Tripp NYC, Killstar, and more. There are two locations, one in Brockport and one in Rochester. The Brockport location is the largest goth shop in western New York.
North Wedge Market is a thrift and consignment shop in the South Wedge. It is run by Rochester Pillar Church next door. They sell clothing, jewelry, furniture, and more. All donations are tax deductible. Opened in March 2016.
Before Your Quiet Eye is a bookstore in Monroe Village. Run by Ken Kelbaugh, it specializes in "used and rare books and other collectible prints." 1 They are a member of the Rochester Area Booksellers Association. Before Your Quiet Eye went on a hiatus for a brief period until December 2012, when they reopened near the back of the building owned by pixilPreserve. The space was previously occupied by pandaman. A portion of their original mural has been maintained and forms the backdrop of Before Your Quiet Eye's children's books section and reading area.
Chili Hinchey Plaza is a strip mall on Chili Avenue (exit 19 off of I-390) in Gates. Tenants Cricket Wireless Dollar General Rent-A-Center Rainbow Background "... sold to ... local investors for in excess of {$1M} ... area has seen extensive development including the renovation and expansion of Westgate Plaza, a 285,000 square foot property anchored by the areas first Super Wal-Mart less than 1 mile away. Extensive renovation ... include a new redesigned façade and signage, new storefronts, sidewalks, as well as a new roof, and site lighting. In addition, 16,000 square feet of new retail space ... . ... ownership group includes managing partners David Dworkin, of LLD Enterprises, John August, of J. August Properties, Francis Antonelli, Robert Galbraith, and Arnold Kovalsky. ... " 1 "A New Facade, 16,000 SF addition and site lighting were completed Fall'04. New Parking lot Summer '05." 2 Notes and References LoopNet.com ReJournal.com 1ReJournal.com2LoopNet.com
Burlington Coat Factory is a chain clothing store with three locations in the Rochester area. They specialize in overstock and closeouts. The Webster store is in Baytowne Plaza. On May 3, 2019, the Henrietta store moved from Southtown Plaza to Jay Scutti Plaza, replacing the abandoned Toys R Us.
DSW, Designer Shoe Warehouse, is a shoe store outlet of a national chain and a popular place for those who love shoes!!! On an average day a store can have over 30,000 pairs of shoes in more than 2,000 styles. All shoes are displayed on the selling floor, so no need to wait till the sales person goes and gets the pair in the right size or style, all shoes are accessible and ready to be taken home! You can try on every shoe to your heart's content. The shoe selection includes the expensive Italian and Brazilian designer shoes at great prices and the even more affordable styles everyone can afford to have multiples of and enjoy. It is a one stop shop for a family with shoes for men, boys, girls, babies and women. When shopping don't forget to check out the sales racks at the back of the store that has great savings on already low prices. Even the current season shoes are on sale since the store receives so many new styles each week. For the perfect shoe the store also has the perfect accessory, from purses to socks. It is the perfect stop for proms and balls!!! When shopping, dont forget to sign up for DSW rewards. It is a free membership were you earn Reward Certificates for every 1500 points earned. There are two double-points shopping days each year and special offers and birthday gifts. The first store was opened in Dublin, Ohio in 1991. Currently there are more than 230 stores from coast to coast. The store is located in an out-parcel building of Marketplace Mall on the southwest portion of the loop road around the mall. Awards DSW was voted "Best Shoe Store" in City Newspaper's 'Best Of' awards in 2002.1 Notes and References DSW on LoveToKnow.com
(Aug. 2012) Original Village Gate location Far Out Vintage was a men's and women's vintage clothing and accessories store in Monroe Village. Expect to find a '30s housedress between a '70s polyester wrap dress and a '60s sheath dress worthy of Mad Men. Prices were generally around $30-$60. Far Out Vintage opened in 2009 and is owned by Michelle Zingo. Originally in the Village Gate complex, they moved to their Monroe Ave location, the former home of Lucky Lotus Tattoo, on February 1, 2012. Rochester Teen Set Outsider could be purchased here. The business was sold in 2015 and became JANE Vintage. Awards Voted "Best Secondhand Store" in City Newspaper's 'Best of Rochester' Awards in 2015.1
Website Graphics B. Younique was an apparel and accessories store located in Twelve Corners Plaza in Brighton with a fresh approach to fashion. They closed in December 2015 after 17 years in business. According to the Democrat & Chronicle: Several factors contributed to her decision to close B. Younique at Twelve Corners Plaza after 17 years: Von Maur moving into the market at Eastview Mall and carrying some of her lines, manufacturers selling their products online directly to consumers and this year’s weather. A cold spring, wet summer and warm fall and winter added up to a lackluster year, [the owner] said. She has a second shop in Pompano, Florida, that she will keep open. Links Three Rochester-area boutiques close in holiday season - Democrat and Chronicle (2015-12-03)
Extreme Graphix Ink is a tattoo and piercing parlor on Dewey Avenue in the Maplewood Neighborhood, between Ridgeway Avenue and Ridge Road (Rte 104). It is owned by John "Sniper" Brown. The piercing shop, which was originally a separate business, merged with the tattoo shop, making things a little more convenient. There are other Extreme Graphix shops in the Rochester area and their addresses can be found on the website. They moved to this location in May of 2008. It is a much nicer shop, and tattooing is done upstairs in a brighter atmosphere.
Luci & Dona is a boutique featuring custom ready-to-wear and one-of-a-kind fashions created in-studio alongside other boutique brands. Patrons can also purchase blinged-out jewelry, bold fashion glasses frames, novelty handbags and wigs. The owners have dressed many Rochester-area drag queens and their work has been featured on RuPaul's Drag Race and Queen of the Universe. Luci & Dona is also a featured seller annually at RuPaul's DragCon in Los Angeles. The store's name is based on the owners drag names - "Lucida Brite" and "Donatella Mirage." The store held their grand opening on July 8, 2023. In October 2025, they moved to their current location on Culver Road in the Culver-Merchants neighborhood.
Northgate Plaza is a strip mall on Dewey Avenue in Greece, located south of Latta Road and at the intersection with Britton Road. Northgate was most recently part of a long controversy over development of a Wal-Mart Super Center on the site. The center had become somewhat deteriorated and Wal-Mart had agreed to demolish part of the plaza and construct a Super Center. It intended to remodel the remaining strip mall. An organization calling itself Residents Against Wal-Mart (RAW) fought the project for sometime but lost the last remaining court battle in February of 2009. AlbanyGovernmentLawReview.org article (Feb 2009) Court decision favors Wal-Mart in Greece - Democrat and Chronicle (2009-06-26) Widewaters Group PDF with information about revitalization Establishments Autozone Bank of America Casey's Hallmark Shop McDonald's Supercuts The UPS Store Wal-Mart Super Center
Red Wing Shoes, Henrietta, July 2008 Red Wing Shoes, a national manufacturer of boots and other footwear, focusing on work boots (think steel-toe safety boots), has two dealer shoe stores operating under the Red Wing Shoes name in the Rochester area. Red Wing products are also available from other non-branded shoe stores in the area, such as Oppedisano's Bootery in Honeoye Falls1. Red Wing gets its name from the town of Red Wing, MN where the company was founded.
Craft Co #6 - January 2008 Interior - January 2008 Chubby stands guard outside Craft Co. No. 6 - July 2010 Craft Company No.6 is a gift shop in the Neighborhood of the Arts that sells American-made handcrafts such as jewelry, pottery, glass, metals, furniture, knickknacks, gourmet foods, garden decor, and more. The building, known for its brightly colored trim and awnings, is the former Firehouse #6 and consists of two stories and multiple rooms. The old fire pole can still be seen near the front. For the holiday gift season, Craft Company No. 6 likes to go all out and decorate even more than usual for their Night of Lights Event. The store used to expand to the rear of the building. In August 2011, however, the former owners moved back in and this area was subsequently closed, along with part of the alley garden. Prior thereto, the downstairs kitchen was used to showcase culinary products. Craft Company No.6 was sold February 1, 2014 to Kathleen Verzillo. It exists under the same name and has reopened the luxury apartment at the back of the store, as well as another room upstairs and the entirety of the courtyard. The new owners have worked to bring more local artists into the store and revitalize the building's interior and exterior with updated layout and lighting.
Exterior of new West Ridge Rd Location, 12-2012 12-2012 12-2012 ReHouse Staff Photo Main door at the back ReHouse is an architectural salvage store in Maplewood neighborhood, also called the West Ridge Parkway Business District. Antique, vintage and modern building materials are saved from properties scheduled for demolition or major remodeling jobs. Materials available at the store are doors, windows, plumbing, lighting, hardware, and some antique furniture. Since opening in 2002 over 2.1 million pounds of materials have been reclaimed for reuse and saved from the landfill. "ReHouse Retro" , now closed as of March 2020, opened June, 2016, and is located adjacent to the main "ReHouse" store on W. Ridge Road. This store features mid century furniture, decor and finds with a retro flair. "Artisans Annex" a consignment space with many artists, decorators and one of a kind handmade gifts opened July 2020. They were originally located at 1473 East Main Street and moved to their current location July 1, 2012. This added 5,000 sq ft of retail space and a 50 car parking lot. The new retail store is 20,000 sq ft.
New Photo, Pretty Dress, 12-2010 Godiva's is a thrift store adjacent to Open Face Sandwich Eatery and across the street from Lux, all in the heart of the South Wedge, Godiva's buys, sells, and trades vintage & military clothing and accessories. With a more offbeat and interesting inventory than better-known thrift stores, Godiva's also keeps a barrel of $2 fun duds. Owner Trudy Feikert also sells clothes and hats of her own design under the label Trudy Made. Along with her sometimes staff, she even makes her own tags. Awards Godiva's was voted "Best Secondhand Clothing Store" in City Newspaper's 'Best Of' Awards in 2007 1 and 2008.2 See Also Insider Crafty Gal 1CityNewspaper 2007 Best Of2CityNewspaper Best of 2008
Analog Shock was a friendly and well stocked indie cd/vinyl/zine shop that occasionally had some great indie/underground bands play in their back room affectionatly dubbed "Le Club Shock." The shop suddenly closed one day. Awards Analog Shock was voted "Grooviest Vinyl Venue" in the 2002 'Best of Greater Rochester' poll in City Newspaper.1
Company Logo Blockbuster Video is a national chain video rental store that used to have numerous locations in the Rochester area. Blockbuster was purchased by Dish Network in 2011. In November 2013 they announced they would be closing all 300 Blockbuster retail stores by January 2014. The three remaining Rochester locations held their last day for rentals on November 9, closed to the public on November 10, and briefly reopened on the 15th for giant closeout sales.1 Awards Voted "Best Video Rental Store" in City Newspaper's 'Best Of' awards in 2002.2 1Local Blockbuster Videos to end rentals Saturday, Democrat and Chronicle (2013-11-082Rochester City Newspaper Best of 2002
HISTORY Medley Centre began life as Irondequoit Mall, located along the busy Route 104 corridor on the northeast side of Rochester. It was Rochester's latest traditional enclosed mall, built by the omnipresent local retail developer Wilmorite, opening for business in 1990. The mall offered area residents its first fully two-story mall, designed to offer lots of wide open space with natural light coming from its massive glass roof. A showcase carousel, visible from the highway, offered rides to children while parents relaxed in the adjacent food court. At the time, Irondequoit Mall targeted residents in the northeastern city and the growing east-side suburbs of Webster, Irondequoit, and Penfield. The mall also attracted attention from the wealthier suburbs Brighton and Pittsford which divided their shopping attention between the then-dreary and outdated Eastview Mall in Victor and Marketplace Mall in Henrietta. It opened with great fanfare with original anchor stores Sears, JCPenney, Sibley's, and McCurdy's, and all the usual national chains that turn up at malls. Irondequoit Mall was late to the area mall party, but established itself as a popular shopping destination, especially for those who disliked the extensive walking required to navigate other area malls which sprawled on and on with their single story designs. As the 1990's progressed, significant changes occurred in the department store business model that existed for nearly 100 years. Smaller, regionally-based, family-owned department store chains began to be consolidated by a national wave of mergers. In Rochester, Sibley's was the first to go, selling its entire chain of stores to the May Department Stores, based in Pittsburgh, which rechristened Sibley's under their Kaufmann's store brand. (May itself would later be absorbed into the enormous Federated Department Stores, owner of Macy's among many other super-regional chains, in 1995.) Very soon thereafter, the McCurdy family saw the writing on the wall and sold their entire chain of stores to Bon-Ton of York, Pennsylvania which operated as a regional chain across the northeastern states. At the same time, the growing income of residents in eastern Monroe County, and the tremendous growth occurring in nearby Ontario County due to suburban sprawl meant it was time to take another look at the then-aging Eastview Mall, located just across the Monroe-Ontario county line. It had not seen a major overhaul since the 1970's, right down to the avocado green wall-to-wall carpeting and the burnt orange accents. Ironically, the downfall of Irondequoit Mall would come primarily from the actions of Wilmorite itself, which also managed Eastview Mall. THE DECLINING YEARS It wasn't just one factor which would put Irondequoit Mall into the category of a "dead mall." Several factors conspired to bring down the area's youngest mall in just a few short years. The most important was the aforementioned redevelopment, expansion, and reopening of Eastview Mall, which has attracted premium upscale retailers, a healthy occupancy level, and operates in an area perceived as low crime and a safe destination day or night. Eastview immediately drained Irondequoit Mall's largest percentage of customers from the eastern side of Monroe County, especially Brighton and Pittsford. Wilmorite succeeded, perhaps too well, in its efforts to reintroduce Rochester to Eastview Mall. At the same time, a demographic shift in customers shopping at Irondequoit began to play on latent fears some shoppers had about Irondequoit Mall and those who frequented it. Midtown Plaza, the nation's first traditional mall, was already relegated to the "dead mall" category. Shoppers from the city of Rochester defected from Midtown, with many northside residents now turning to Irondequoit Mall, which has plenty of free parking and frequent bus service. Rochester's vibrant Latino community adopted Irondequoit Mall as a popular destination as well. That Spanish was now being spoken openly and frequently at the mall concerned more than one of the sheltered suburbanites I overheard in my very frequent visits to the mall at the time. Groups of younger people loitering around the mall and its parking lots didn't help the image much either. A whisper campaign about the mall and its shoppers began. Soon, the urban legend that Irondequoit Mall was a "high crime" area with shoppers being harassed by gangs and car theft rings operating openly would eventually reach the local press. Rumors of a rape in the parking lot even surfaced. That none of this was actually true didn't seem to matter, despite Wilmorite's efforts to beef up security, launch a public relations effort to reassure customers, establish a code of conduct, and several positive articles in the same press that reported earlier "concerns." Once a perception is established, even if disproved, many customers end up staying away with a shrug of the shoulders and a dismissive, "why take a chance?" In truth, Irondequoit Mall never suffered the crime rate or the problems that the urban legend proffered. As customers fled, so did the retailers, starting with the national chains operating smaller stores in the mall. At first, the defections were manageable, but as Eastview gained more and more prominence, what began as a trickle soon became a flood, especially with the announcement that JCPenney was leaving in 2003. By the time the fixtures and displays were liquidated at JCPenney, Irondequoit Mall had now firmly been established as a dead mall, with a 20% occupancy rate. By early 2005, it was possible to spend an hour power walking the first floor of Irondequoit Mall and literally pass not a single customer. Bored employees routinely brought paperbacks to read, mall security coffee-klatched with the maintenance workers, and the mall was literally populated with more store employees than shoppers. The only "regulars" tended to be mall walkers. The writing was on the wall. In that year, Wilmorite abandoned Irondequoit Mall, putting the property up for sale. THE BERSIN PHASE - A NEW OWNER, PROMISES OF A NEW BEGINNING, NOW HISTORY In 2005, Adam Bersin, an optimistic Syracuse developer, purchased Irondequoit Mall from Wilmorite for five million dollars and a 15 year tax break incentive provided by the town or Irondequoit. In return, Bersin promised to infuse $44 million into a full renovation. Bersin rechristened the mall, thus ending the short history of Irondequoit Mall and opening a new chapter under its new name Medley Centre. As of the spring of 2007, Medley Centre had managed some small victories, replacing the JCPenney anchor store shell with Steve & Barry's, a sporting apparel store unique to the area. An indoor soft playground on the first level became a modest success as well, providing hours of entertainment to children for a $2 entry fee good for the entire day, all under the watchful eyes of mall security and staff. Small, family-owned stores managed to survive in locations formerly occupied by large corporate-owned chain stores, usually with a sign plastered over the the earlier occupant's name. Apparel and shoes targeting younger customers were the most successful, and some eclectic, independently owned, businesses managed to hang on for a few years as well. Mall activity picked-up around the Christmas shopping season, when some temporary merchants moved in. Some special events managed some success in attracting foot traffic. In October 2006, a Halloween "haunted house" and exhibit made from tens of thousands of balloons attracted long lines to a mall wing dedicated to the exhibit, which charged an entry fee. The event has moved to Greece Ridge Mall for the 2008 season. But along with the small victories came new challenges - starting with the spring 2007 announcement that Bon Ton was throwing in the towel on the location because of low sales. That left only two traditional anchor stores, Sears and Macy's (formerly Kaufmann's). Mall occupancy remained dismal, with the vast majority of storefronts either empty or filled with tenants serving no retail function. Among the latter have been a dog obedience school, model train and racing car tracks, a "summer camp," a little-used storefront for Irondequoit town groups and functions, an English for Speakers of Other Languages resource center, and a security guard employment/travel agency (in the same storefront). Many of the retail apparel stores serve as clearance/outlet centers. Mall signage remained a problem, with a woefully outdated mall directory that promised an optimistic shopping experience for visiting shoppers who rapidly become bewildered by the sea of empty stores, accompanied by lit advertising messages that seem trapped in time back to 2002, not long after 9/11, with patriotic public service announcements. Stores that closed years ago still have signs which seem to indicate the closing was recent, and some of the anchor stores dumped their stock and fixtures into nearby store locations, hidden with blue plastic sheeting or with nothing at all. Medley Centre's upkeep through the challenges were visible - the mall's live plants remain well-cared for, efforts to cope with the leaking high glass roof have been ongoing and moderately successful, the floors were kept clean, and several entrances were rebuilt and improved. Mall employee turnover seems modest as well, with many of the same faces still there month after month. The mall parking lot is kept in good repair, and mall security vehicles pay careful attention to making the lot is safe and secure. The employees and staff at the mall remained friendly and helpful, despite the challenges they confronted (ranging from extreme boredom to possible unemployment if Bersin could not pull this one off.) Controversial changes surrounding the food court and mall traffic in general caused some resentment among the mall's remaining loyal visitors. Since the mall opened, the food court, especially during the day, has been a gathering place for retired locals who literally spend hours sitting and visiting with their friends. Chess and card games were a common site to help pass the time. Frequently the only people in the food court, they were surprised to learn that a policy change now prohibited chess and card games during regular mall hours. The policy change, attributed to Bersin, came as a result of his efforts to make the mall's appearance more conducive to a "family friendly shopping experience." This raised some controversy in the local press, but came as part of a broader effort to control loitering in the mall, particularly by younger people. At times, large groups of youth would spend time at the mall meeting with friends and talking, and occasionally interacting (positively or negatively — I have experienced both) with shoppers. Mall security has made a special effort to keep Medley Centre from being a social club. Individuals that repeatedly violate the mall's rules of conduct are banned, but this is not an issue unique to Medley Centre. Mall walkers remained the most commonly visible people at Medley Centre, and their presence at the very least promoted a sense that the place is not completely empty. Bersin's continued acceptance of this group, which seems to try hard not to get in the way of ordinary mall shoppers, was a net positive. The changing landscape of retail has created some special challenges for many malls across the nation similar to what Irondequoit Mall/Medley Centre have faced. In some areas, a mixed retail/commercial approach has been successful, with doctor's offices next to shoe stores, or private businesses occupying one wing of a former mall with traditional retailers occupying the rest. Some malls have even managed to become indoor parks/community centers. Some have churches within them. Others have left their anchor stores intact while tearing down the rest of the indoor mall, replacing it with green space or a strip/outdoor mall format. …