Carol Fisher Linn
Buildings tell stories, and these walls are talking…
Time goes by. Things change, yet some things remain constant. Almost 150 years ago when a new building in Ellicottville sprung up next to the Brick Block (which is now Dina’s and Purple Doorknob) America was about to celebrate its 100th anniversary (1876).
Today, as America revs up to celebrate its 250th (2026) the vibe and culture of Ellicottville has surpassed anyone’s imagination when folks gathered in James Cotter Dry Goods Store at 17 Washington Street. What is now known as Daff’s was the place locals went, in 1876, to buy boots, hats, caps, as well as wines, liquors and groceries. Next door, attached like cojoined twins at 19 Washington Street, stylish men’s attire was offered to Ellicottville’s gentlemen in the Two Tailor Shops owned by twin brothers, Lorenzo L. and Alonzo L. Razey. Stylish apparel still fills the racks and shelves at (circa 1997) Daff Dry Goods presently owned by Laura Solly. Although garments are no longer handmade locally, Daff presents only the finest brands of casual wear: Patagonia, Pendleton, Brighton, Royal Robbins, Tentree, and Blundstone. They continue the clothier/dry goods tradition begun in 1876 by offering home goods, keepsakes, apparel, and hats/ caps for men, women, and children of all ages.
In 1876, President of our then 38 states, Ulysses S. Grant, oversaw Reconstruction and pushed through the 15th Amendment. That year, Edward D. Northrup became an attorney in the U. S. Supreme Court and was elected Ellicottville Town Supervisor, H.L. McCoy was Town Clerk, and St. John’s Episcopal Church was seeking a rector. The same year Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for his telephone, Heinz ketchup was invented, Budweiser pale ale was first marketed, Mark Twain’s Adventures of Tom Sawyer was published, somebody tried to rob Lincoln’s tomb, Wyatt Earp was working in Dodge City, and Wild Bill Kickok was killed in Deadwood, Dakota.
Meanwhile life moved on in Ellicottville NY and if you walked into the left side of the store on 17-19 Washington Street, in 1926 to 1939, you were there checking off your shopping list at Craig’s Variety Store. In the 1930’s, you’d go right into Mr. Law’s barber shop for a shave and a haircut and in 1933 to 1941 Drs. Dell Ames and James Hughey greeted you, syringe in hand to extract that offending tooth. Switching gears entirely, in 1941, you now shopped there for meats and groceries at Paoletto’s Meat Market, which then became, in 1947 to 1957, Danahy-Faxon’s grocery store. From 1939 to 1957 you opened the left door to access the United State Post office and got the daily rundown from Postmaster O’Connor. Dr. Walrath owned the building and you climbed to his office upstairs to see him. On the left 7th grade students used the building for classes from 1957 to 1959. The next few years seem to be a mystery but new occupants on the right took the location from 1962-1982 where you could always find Peggy and Bob Harrison at the Ellicottville Real Estate and Insurance business. Dekdebrun’s Ski Shop arrived on the right side in 1963 with the rise in popularity of snow skiing in Ellicottville. Greg handed the keys to Hank Nuszkowski in 1976 where Hank kept locals well supplied with their alcoholic needs, the church with wine for communion and the patrons regaled with his outrageous stories about his travels or fictional accounts he could weave so convincingly until 1996. Who didn’t love Hank? Back on the left Billy Burrell opened a Burrell Cutlery Outlet Store for 10 years.
Finally, in 1997, two local businesswomen, Dina DiPasquale (Dina’s) and Arleen Solly (Kazoo II) decided that they didn’t have enough on their plates or not enough important things to attend to, so they decided that they would start a new business selling clothing hats, shoes, and all things fun, combining both locations into one. They called it Daff – Dina and Arleen Frying Fish. In 2000, Laura Solly came home from college, started managing Daff and eventually bought out Dina, then Arleen in about 2003. It might sound a bit daffy but the business has flourished for all these years and hopefully, the calendar pages might stop flipping for a while, keeping both doors of Daff open and on the local scene for years to come.