Unique mix of people and shops
Centrally located between the downtown core, the gallery district, Buffalo State College and the Olmsted-designed Delaware Park, the Elmwood Village neighborhood features a distinctive mix of Victorian homes, turn-of-the-century apartment buildings, doubles and historic mansions. The vibrant shopping district is full of locally owned boutiques, restaurants, galleries and martini bars. Bucking the regional trend of population loss, over the last decade the area has become home to countless young families.
Places to go: Shops, boutiques and restaurants too numerous to mention. Accessories, artwork, books and cutting-edge salons. Historic residential streets. The Elmwood Village Farmers’ Market. The Elmwood Village Association’s free summer concert series on Bidwell Parkway. The food co-op. The library. Galleries and cafes.
What makes it unique: A dynamic mix of families, college students, urban professionals and “reverse commuters” to the suburbs call the Elmwood Village home. The neighborhood’s unique shopping district, private and charter schools have attracted an economically strong population base that understands and appreciates the benefits of shopping locally to strengthen a neighbor-hood economy.
Someone you should know: Katharine Jemison, owner of Spoiled Rotten, a gift shop at 831 Elmwood Ave., is also a nine-year resident of the area. She first opened the store—which sells unique gifts, Buffalo-made products and greeting cards—nine years ago. Born in Batavia, Jemison grew up on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation in Akron before moving to Buffalo in 1998.
