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Buffalo Business First
The 2024 Manufacturing Awards winners, one by one
Few business sectors can top the production and employment numbers of Western New York's manufacturing industry.<\p> This year, we're highlighting 23 standout companies from this standout sector. They employ a combined 3,085 local workers, who in turn help their respective companies make breakthroughs in sales and achieve innovations in their fields. Our Manufacturer of the Year employs 357 of those local workers alone.<\p>
Graham caps business transformation with Manufacturer of the Year win
For decades, the Graham Corp. has been growing into one of the largest manufacturers in Batavia, but the last three years have been transformational, leading to a large expansion on the Florence Avenue campus. <\p> That's just one reason why Graham Corp. is the 2024 Manufacturer of the Year. <\p>
Independent Health to reduce footprint, listing building for $4.9M
Independent Health is selling one of its five Williamsville buildings, listing its site at 150 Essjay on the market for $4.9 million.<\p> The decision follows an ongoing assessment of the company’s real estate footprint post-pandemic, as its 1,200 associates continue on a hybrid work schedule that results in just 30% of the workforce spending time at the office on any given day.<\p>
Manufacturing Awards: Worksport Ltd. (Innovation)
Few business sectors can top the production and employment numbers of Western New York's manufacturing industry.<\p> This year, we're highlighting 23 standout companies from this standout sector. They employ a combined 3,085 local workers, who in turn help their respective companies make breakthroughs in sales and achieve innovations in their fields. (The Manufacturer of the Year employs 357 of those local workers alone.)<\p>
Cluck Cluck Moo Moo expanding to the suburbs with third site
Cluck Cluck Moo Moo is bringing its smash burgers and chicken sandwiches to the suburbs.<\p> The local chain agreed on terms May 15 with Bevilacqua Development to lease a 2,500-square-foot space at 6035 Transit Road in East Amherst. The plaza is directly across the street from Transit Valley Country Club.<\p>
New look and feel coming for Buffalo Business First
This is our last week of looking like the Buffalo Business First you see today. Next week in the May 24 issue, you'll see many changes as we step into a new design.<\p> So let's get this out of the way. What won't change is the business intelligence our news staff provides every week. Our talented crew of journalists will continue to cover and inform the Buffalo business community. <\p>
152-year-old Allentown church sold to development team
A historic Allentown church could soon be retrofitted with apartments and commercial space.<\p> An LLC owned by local developer John Daly, a principal at Trautman Associates, and his sister, Melissa Littlefield of California, purchased the former Church of the Ascension at 67 North St.<\p>
Niagara County IDA executive director retires; successor named
Niagara County Industrial Development Agency Executive Director Susan Langdon has retired after 25 years with the agency.<\p> Andrea Klyczek was named interim executive director and is expected to take the permanent role soon.<\p>
Contents of closed Amherst Red Lobster sold for just $12,000
The winning bidder of an online auction that ended today gets to buy the entire contents of the Red Lobster restaurant on Maple Road for just $12,000.<\p> The auction was among more than 50 nationwide that launched May 13 just hours after the chain restaurant abruptly shut down dozens of stores with little notice to employees.<\p>
AI's latest casualty? Entry-level jobs
Welcome to The National Observer, a roundup of top business news and actionable insights from across The Business Journals. We'll take a look today at how artificial intelligence is taking roles that used to act as entry-level positions; Frontier Airline's strategy targeting business travelers; and how you can buy everything in a Red Lobster restaurant. But we'll start with what higher-for-longer rates mean for those in the real estate business.<\p> Get more stories like these every day in your inbox by subscribing to The National Observer newsletter.<\p>
Closed Red Lobsters present a real (estate) problem
The abrupt closure of all four local Red Lobster restaurants could pose a difficult real estate challenge for whoever is tasked with selling or leasing the spaces.<\p> When a chain or franchise closes restaurants en masse, there's a complex web of different stakeholders that must be unpicked in order to find new users for the buildings.<\p>
20th annual Brick by Brick finalists named as best of the best
Forty-eight finalists — along with the Golden Brick winner — have been chosen for the 20th annual Brick by Brick Awards, the celebration that honors the best in construction and development in Western New York. <\p> The winners in each of the 17 categories will be announced at the July 25 dinner at the Forbes Theater, 500 Pearl St., Buffalo.<\p>
New York-style bagel shop preps to grow space, hours in East Aurora
Dopest Dough is working on an expansion in East Aurora to boost commercial capacity for its wholesale operations and expand retail opportunities.<\p> The bagel bakery at 695 Main St. is growing from 1,400 square feet to about 3,500 square feet into adjoining space previously occupied by a bridal shop. The project will create a short-order cooking kitchen nearer to the front, with a larger space in the back reserved for mixing and baking bagels. <\p>
ECMC team approach to care helps to cut readmission rates
Buffalo-area hospitals can lay claim to a series of innovations over the last 50 years, ranging from developments that led to the first tests for prostate cancer to new methods for treating blood clots and stroke. Today, the region’s physician researchers and clinicians continue to innovate and come up with new ways to treat disease, develop new devices and equipment and create novel ways to deliver care both inside and outside hospitals. This story is part of a package looking at examples of innovation at some of the largest Western New York health systems.<\p> It’s easier to provide the right health care services while patients are inside a hospital’s walls. But once they leave, it becomes more difficult to ensure they’re filling and taking prescription medications and getting the necessary follow-up care.<\p>
Rachel's closes Syracuse, Fort Worth sites to focus on Buffalo market
With more than a dozen sites across the Buffalo and Rochester markets, it seemed like expanding to Syracuse would be the next logical step for Rachel’s Mediterranean.<\p> But less than a year after opening two sites in that market, the company – specializing in Green and Lebanese food served up in a fast casual format — has closed both restaurants as well as a site in Fort Worth, Texas.<\p>
Retirement isn't an easy transition. Just ask Chapin's outgoing CEO.
James Campbell, former CEO of Chapin International Inc., says retirement is “a tougher transition than saving a business.”<\p> He would know. When Campbell stepped in as CEO in the early 2000s, the Batavia manufacturing company had run into “some very hard times.” <\p>
Economic development organization names new president/CEO
The Genesee County Economic Development Council has wasted no time picking its next president and CEO — and it didn't have to look far.<\p> The board of directors has unanimously selected Mark Masse, currently senior vice president of operations, to replace Steve Hyde, who last month announced he will be stepping down at the end of July.<\p>
Buffalo manufacturer to be acquired by Alabama company
An $8-billion, Alabama-based motion solutions company plans to acquire a Buffalo manufacturer that makes control panels. <\p> Motion Industries Inc., headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, will acquire Allied Circuits, at 22 James E. Casey Drive, with the transaction expected to close this month, according to a news release from Motion. <\p>
Median home prices in Niagara County increased the most here
Homes in Niagara County are typically tens of thousands of dollars more expensive than they were five years ago.<\p> Topping that list are Porter and Wheatfield, both of which saw median home prices increase over $100,000 from 2018 to 2023. That’s based on based on Buffalo Niagara Association of Realtor data.<\p>
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