Last week, I decided to make a rare healthy decision for myself and head to Saha Med Grill in College Town for one of its bangin’ Greek salads. I paid the $1.50 to park on Mt. Hope Avenue, only to find a sign indicating that Saha’s College Town location was closed (the University Avenue business is still open, though). As I made the profanity-laden trek back to my car, a tumbleweed blew across my path, and I wondered: What food and drink businesses are still open in College Town?
Along with Saha Med Grill, Corner Bakery Cafe, Constantino’s Market, and Bar 145 have all closed over the last two years. I spoke with Cass McCrory, director of marketing and events for College Town, about why these businesses aren’t succeeding in what by all accounts is a prime location, considering its proximity to the University of Rochester and the up-and-coming neighborhoods surrounding it.
College Town, which opened in 2015, does put a lot of thought into what goes into the retail space based on viability, McCrory says, but despite best efforts, there’s always a mix of things that can dictate whether or not a business will work. “Unfortunately, the perception is that people think we just ask companies to come to College Town, and that’s not how retail works,” McCrory says. “The business has to be seen as viable — and our leasing agents are looking at market research for things like foot traffic and to see if College Town is supported enough locally. The decision is not made on a whim.”
Part of the issue could be slow foot traffic. McCrory’s office is in College Town and, she says, she sees a daily lack of people walking over from the University of Rochester (both from the River Campus and the medical center). Consumers have expressed interest in businesses like Urban Outfitters or an Apple store, but it could be risky for those shops if there’s a lack of foot traffic in the area.
Still, there are businesses slated to go into the vacant storefronts. A to-be-announced bar and restaurant will take over the Bar 145 space on Celebration Drive. Tai Chi Bubble Tea will open another location in early 2018 where Corner Bakery Café once was and will debut ramen on the location’s menu. The University of Rochester will expand its patient care services next year into the space where Constantino’s Market was located.
So what is still open in College Town? With a built-in clientele from the Hilton Garden Inn and the University of Rochester, it’s no surprise that Grappa (30 Celebration Drive) is still going strong. The restaurant and event space, which opened June 2015, is run by the Del Monte Hotel Group, and has an upscale, modern Italian menu. The restaurant has also added a brunch on Sundays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
If there’s a business that has been fueled mostly by stoned college students and neighborhood folk, it’s Insomnia Cookies (1333 Mt. Hope Avenue). The cookie and ice cream delivery service has a (way too) convenient mobile app and the delivery is typically super-fast.
The Beer Market (1401 Mt. Hope Avenue) has continued to be a popular happy hour destination for University of Rochester employees and students. With craft beer still all the rage in Rochester, and the Beer Market having more than 500 different selections, it hopefully won’t be going anywhere for a while.
Mexican chain Moe’s Southwest Grill (1377 Mt. Hope Avenue) is still open, despite being directly across the street from a Chipotle. Two other national chains, Texas de Brazil and Jimmy John’s Sandwiches, both have locations on Celebration Drive.
If you want to stay on top of the comings and goings of College Town, the location’s website is collegetownrochester.com, and there is a newsletter that goes out to subscribers about new places opening as well as special events.
Quick bites
Boxcar (127 Railroad Street) and Three Heads Brewing have teamed up to present “A Night of Southern Hospitality” on Monday, November 13, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Boxcar. The event includes a four-course Southern cuisine dinner and beverage pairing. Only 30 tickets will be sold for this event and can be purchased for $50 on eventbrite.com.
Hart’s Local Grocers (10 Winthrop Street) will host a Thanksgiving Showcase on Saturday, November 18, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Recipes using local ingredients from Schutt’s Apple Mill, Guglielmo’s, and others will be available for sample as well as a tasting of holiday beers and ciders. The first 50 guests will receive gift bag with holiday coupons and samples.
Blu Wolf Bistro (657 Park Avenue) will be celebrating its fourth anniversary on Friday, November 24. The restaurant will open at 9 a.m. on Black Friday and celebrate with a tap takeover of most of its 34 lines — new beers will be announced gradually on the days leading up to the event. Blu Wolf’s brunch menu will be also be available. RSVP to the event on Facebook.
Also on Black Friday, Mullers Cider House (1344 University Avenue) will be serving Thanksgiving Leftover panini and $5 Kaneb Cranberry cider draughts.
Openings
Morton’s Steakhouse (125 East Main Street) has opened downtown.
Chow Hound is a food and restaurant news column. Do you have a tip? Send it to food@rochester-citynews.com.
This article appears in Nov 8-14, 2017.
What is going wrong: prices are too high for most of the stores, so students and employees won’t go. It’s also too far away from the main campus for that. Then there is the parking situation, employees can’t park there without getting ticketed or paying $1 or more for a paid parking spot.
At night, the streets are dark and often roamed by shirtless drunks or some other mentally unstable people, there is no legitimate foot traffic because the parking situation.
“College” Town is a 20 minute walk from U of R’s undergrad. College town is surrounded on one side by a cemetery (dead people don’t spend money), on one side by a hospital with its own cafeteria (more convenient for hospital workers), and on the other two sides by R-1 low-density residential. This is not enough residents for a critical mass of foot traffic. Goler House residents aren’t enough. If you look at the most successful walkable commercial strip in Rochester, Park Ave, it’s surrounded by R2 and R3 (medium and high density) residential zoning. It’s not rocket science.
This means that College Town could thrive if more residential units are added. It’s not doomed to failure.
The potential Mt. Hope/Gold St apartments would definitely help College Town: https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story…
I’m sorry to hear Saha closed. Across the street from Collegetown proper are restaurants that seem to be doing fine: The Soup Spoon, Bunga Burger Bar, India House, a new pita place.
High rents (and thus prices), parking perceptions, lack of UR/Strong foot traffic, and shops/restaurants being hidden from view (tucked away behind the Mt. Hope front off Celebration Dr.) are problematic for College Town.
P.S. There is plenty of free parking behind Collegetown
Saha Med Grill’s food is terrible, thats why it closed. Corner Bakery Cafe was poorly run by the franchisee. Their 2 Buffalo locations and the Pittsford location also closed. The franchisee doesnt know how to run a business. Constantino’s Market was destined for failure. Higher prices than Wegmans, poor selection, it was hidden from the road, no advertising, doomed to fail from day 1. And Bar 145 had sporadic hours (closed when they were advertised as open), not so great food, it was hidden from the road, no advertising. Unless you have an amazing product or youre Good Luck, you need to advertise, its as simple as that.
The developers are ripping businesses off on lease and build-out costs, making long-term occupation not viable. After grand opening honeymoon periods are over, businesses can’t afford to stay.
Students are incredibly lazy and won’t walk that far down the street. So really you need to get the medical people and I think that’s how Beer Market stays in business.
Bar 145 opened and closed in 18 months? Damn…..
It’s still a lot better than what used to be there.
And to the people who say there needs to be more people around. There is two schools, a hospital, apartments all around, including the top floors!
Last time I was there parking was free for 2 hours, did that change?
Truth is a recent survey 1 or 2 years ago suggested that U of R Students are more Rochester worldly than just the immediate College Town surroundings. They listed favorite brunch place as James Browns Place on Merchants, no where near the campus. I’ve seen students get lunch at McCann’s Local Meats. So it’s not about them being lazy it’s about them being discerning and adventurous
People love big flashy projects. But big flashy projects are expensive to build, maintain and lease. The bigger the project, the bigger the failure.
Let’s not forget the cities roll in this too. Taxes, regulations, permits, fees, minimum wage mandates, parking requirements, etc.
I agree with Adrian, the Gold St apartments will be a nice addition to the neighborhood.
Collegetown was poorly conceived and designed with high rental costs and little vision. The idea that this many restaurants could be dropped into this location defies logic and there is no shortages of alternatives. All along it was designed to become college/ hospital office space and nothing has changed. It will never provide the jobs or taxes envisioned and never could have it was only a way to get the public to finance buildings for the U of R.