By Chad Neal
Another revolution around the sun has brought us to the economic new year in Ellicottville. Being a red number remover for years Fall Festival sees the largest influx of business in one weekend for the this little burg in Western New York. It used to be a fail safe for the enterprises in the area, alas the commerce has been more favorable throughout the year where it had been just a winter, ski-season boom for years. This has allowed more and more change to come along in Ellicottville and new businesses open all the time now, from short term visit firms to a skate board shop, here is an insiders guide to some of the newest places that have opened up since this past year.
Cygaro Cigar Club & Lounge
32 Washington Street, Upstairs
(716) 699-1323
www.cygaroellicottville.com
Cygaro is a unique place in Ellicottville as it is the only lounge where one can enjoy the sweet effervescence of a smooth and aromatic cigar, while also sipping on fine drink from their full bar. They offer a large array of premium cigars from around the world, with advice on choosing the perfect one to your liking. It is a membership-based establishment that is directly above the newer Mexican restaurant on Washington Street. They have yearly memberships and daily memberships and their website has all the information to obtain either of those. They also boast a great view from their windows overlooking Washington Street which will be great for this weekend’s event.
Bigfoot Park Golf
5462 Robbins Road
(716) 541-4059
A fun new way to play the popular game of golf is park golf. Not only is Bigfoot Park Golf new to Ellicottville, the sport is fairly new to the United States. There are only a handful of courses here in the USA as it was invented in Japan and only recently brought here. But the popularity is growing and Ellicottville is proud to have one of the first in this part of the world. Located at 5462 Robbins Road just east of the Village off 242 – Bigfoot Park Golf shares a gorgeous property with Ellicottville Distillery which has fine spirits made on premises and available to taste. Bigfoot Park Golf opened in May and has seen a lot of interest from many people. It is a shorter version of traditional golf and like putt-putt golf, you only use a single club and ball provided by the course. The ball and hole are larger and the fairways shorter. There are 18 holes and it takes much less time to play than traditional golf. They have a Facebook page to check out and for more info or to make a reservation, (which isn’t needed, but accepted) call 716-541-4059.
The Lincoln Boutique Motel
6089 Rt. 219 on Holiday Valley Road
www.thelincolnevl.com
716-984-1128
Located at the foot of Holiday Valley Road, The Lincoln Boutique Motel is the newest ski in/out location in Ellicottville. The location is at the property where the Telemark motel was for decades and now the revamped and renovated rooms of this classic inn will surely show off the elegance and comfort enjoyed by the visiting skier, golfer, outdoor enthusiast and more. The private parking and 24-hour check in will make it easy to get your vacation going. The Lincoln Boutique Motel has a few different accommodations in their new lodging facility such as the Honest Abe Frame right across from the Sunrise lift, The Six Pack Suite which allows up to six guests and rooms in the Boutique Motel as well. Another new establishment next door, the Pour Taproom Restaurant will be a convenient place to enjoy a drink and meal as well while staying there.
The Pour Taproom Ellicottville
Corner of Rt. 219 and Holiday Valley Road
The Pour Taproom in Ellicottville is connected to the Lincoln Boutique Motel and is located where Cadillac Jack’s was previously. This new addition to Ellicottville is the second one for the owners who also have a Pour Taproom in Buffalo. This new joint offers a unique self-serve system that allows you to try a large assortment of beer on draught. The Ellicottville location has a spacious layout that can accommodate up to 150 people. The idea is when you enter you get VIP pass with a QR code linked to your tab. They have 30 taps to choose from with selections of beverages from New York State, and you pour the libation you desire. The pricing is by the ounce which lets you figure which drink you enjoy the best, and they will also have staff on hand as well. The food will be American pub-style fare and this weekend they will be having a party in the parking lot to showcase both new establishments on the corner of 219 and Holiday Valley Road.
Anzivino’s Sweets and Boutique
8 Washington Street
(716) 378-5992
Anzivino’s Sweets and Boutique is located at former Tee Bar ice cream shop and boutique on Washington Street. The new owners are very excited to be open and ready to share their yummy treats and inventory with all who brighten their door. They have many selections of ice cream, pumpkin donuts, and plenty of sweet frozen treats. They also have a lot of stylish clothing for the Ellicottville enthusiast. Coats, shirts, and hats just name a few of the garments they offer, along with Buffalo Bills regalia. They also carry children’s clothing and many flashy, sophisticated and trendy woman’s clothing too. There is sure to be something Ellicottville for anyone who goes into Anzivino’s, to get a sweet treat or to shop at the boutique. Check them out on Facebook and take a stop into the shop.
Good Vibez CBD & Wellness, LLC
22 Washington Street
(716) 984-7537
At the former He Shed, She Shed location at 22 Washington Street a new institution will envelop the wellness movement here in Ellicottville, Good Vibez CBD & Wellness LLC. Owner Jeannine “J-9” Gicewicz managed the Chiba Chiba CBD & Gift Shop in Ellicottville for a couple years and has 20 plus years of experience as a massage therapist. She helps clients with sleep issues, acute and chronic pain and more with her “one-on-one interactions using her extensive knowledge of anatomy, physiology, upper and lower myology, pathology and different massage modalities combined with extensive knowledge of CBD and mechanism of action.” J-9 will use the combination of massage therapy and CBD to treat her clientele by using the smells, sounds and “Good Vibez” to help them relax and feel the true meaning of vacation. The shop also carries comfy apparel and accessories, vintage Ellicottville posters and prints, one-of-a-kind snowshoe and ski wine racks, authentic Shot-Skis and many other eclectic items.
The Enchanted Mountain Challenge
Enchantedmountainchallenge.com
New to Ellicottville, but a couple years old is this fun new mystery and history game, The Enchanted Mountain Challenge is a fun way to explore the areas surrounding Ellicottville. The owners Shaun and Kristen Thomson created The Enchanted Mountain Challenge after figuring out ways to beat the boredom of the pandemic. They realized there was a lot of history hidden in these enchanted mountains in plain sight. The Enchanted Mountain Challenge is a fun and unique way to create scavenger hunts on a larger scale, involving historical spots throughout towns like Franklinville, Ellicottville and the surrounding historic places. They design challenges that can be completed in 1-2 days or take as much time as needed. The challenges include hiking and exploring to find clues to complete the challenge. There is a lot of information on their website enchantedmountainchallenge.com as this little paragraph does not give near enough information to make a decision about trying it out.
Green Room Sports Lounge
38 Washington Street
716-801-3208
In the Washington Street Square right behind Katy’s where Subway used to be, a new and fun establishment is just opening up this week. The Green Room Sports Lounge is a casual place to enjoy some drinks and snacks while watching your favorite sporting event on one of 12 televisions or swinging a golf club in their golf simulation room. The Green Room Sports Lounge will offer a full bar and will create an atmosphere catering to the many different sports fans and the avid golfer who wants to play while the snow is flying, or even when it’s not. The simulator will have hundreds of different courses to choose from as you strike your ball into the screen while the computerized visual sequence will make it seem as though you are really at the Masters in Augusta. Bill’s games will be on the wall and other pro sports matches as well. For more information and reservations call Austin at 716-801-3208.
Enjoy these new establishments and the familiar places here in Ellicottville and enjoy yourselves this weekend during Fall Festival. Please be respectful of the property owners and businesses and help keep this place the Bubble of Awesomeness it is.