This is not the typical looking storefront that you would normally find on Amherst Street. Maybe Hertel or Elmwood or Allen… but Amherst? The storefront is just the initial signs of one of the city’s most progressive retailers moving in. When I first happened upon the original Lightmakers store, located on Elmwood near Allen, I thought that we had hit the jackpot. The shop was right out of Greenwich Village in NYC… or something that made Queen Street East in Toronto so cool. We finally had it on Elmwood… modern lighting, futuristic furniture, big name designers, Italian hand-blown pendants… this was an architect’s dream. A couple years ago we lost Lightmakers. I thought to myself what a bummer the loss was for anyone who loves progressive furniture and lighting design.
If you had ever asked me where Lightmakers was going to pop up I probably wouldn’t have said “Amherst Street”. Black Rock has such a wonderful old soul about it. It has this old world kinda feeling that allows you to imagine what it was like fifty years ago (and further). With the influx of new businesses… an exotic reptile shop, a gallery, a modern real estate business, and a recording studio, I suppose that it makes sense that a modern lighting store would follow. Lightmakers currently caters to many of the architects in Buffalo, so having an inexpensive showroom is important. They also conduct a lot of web-based sales, so having a place to store and ship from was also key. By setting up on a blossoming street, Lightmakers will act as a draw for customers with modern taste… customers who may also like to visit a gallery… or buy a house… or grab a bite to eat at Nick’s Place… or listen to live music at The Sportsman, or sit down to a great meal at The Viking Lobster Company. I can’t wait to see the end result for Frenchy’s (property owner) investment into an old appliance store that became a gallery before turning into an upscale commercial business.
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.