If you build a temporary art gallery on Amherst Street, will people come to support it? That’s the question that many had when Michael Mayalt opened the doors of his newly constructed realty business to artists and art lovers (see original post). The question was answered by Angela McCormack, who told me that she never expected the large number of supporters who came to check out the space and browse over the creations. Michael was extremely happy as well, considering that he had just completed the majority of the electrical repairs the morning of the show. Not only did the original restored antique light fixtures look brand new, the refinished wood floors sparkled as if they had just been installed. An overhaul like this should give hope to any person looking to restore another property on Amherst Street… or Grant… or Niagara…
The show will soon be over, which means that the gallery’s 15-minutes of fame will soon be over. Instead of fading into obscurity however, this storefront will continue to shine for years to come. Last evening we met a couple who had just opened a salon on the street, a guy who was looking to open a restaurant, someone who had just opened the neighborhood’s fourth recording studio, a number of business owners and residents of Black Rock, along with a big mix students and professors from Buffalo State. After checking out the dynamic works of art, we decided to take a walk over to visit Lightmakers initial efforts and then headed next door to Artsphere for another opening night art show. I think that joshking2 summed it up best in a comment (from the original post) that stated:
I’m so excited for Amherst Street! The residents and business along this street have been fighting to keep it alive for so many years. It’s wonderful to see the fruits of their labor. I hope I can still afford a place near here when I return to Buffalo.
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.