Allentown-Assoc.-Photo, originally uploaded by BRM.
At the corner of Delaware and Elmwood sits the Allentown Trading Company. What is so great about this place you ask? The fact that it's there at all. This little gas station/market has two purposes. The first is to offer the neighborhood a place to go when they need gas and groceries. The second is to remind the folks that live in the area just how lucky they are to have a village that has retained so much of it's historical value when other cities (including Buffalo in some areas) continue to deplete their architectural resources. The Allentown Trading Company was an extremely expensive build/restoration project as far as gas stations go. The main objective was to ensure that the aesthetic appearance of the station fit in with the surrounding buildings. 'Buffalorox' tells me that the original plan for the station called for a super ugly prefab canopy over the gas pumps. Thank the 'Lord Of All Things Aesthetically Pleasing' that the neighborhood fought for the original structure that we see today. Whether you live in Allentown, or are coming down for the Allentown Art Festival or The Garden Walk (respectively two of the biggest events in the country in both categories), stop by and take a look at this neighborhood treasure located in the heart of Buffalo. And don't forget to thank the local preservation groups around the city for all of their hard work in fighting what can be a very tough battle.