By Chad Neal-
Another year has passed since the last red-letter date in Ellicottville, Fall Festival. This integral time of year is the weekend that is most talked about in this small village. A weekend where Ellicottville is inundated with tens of thousands of visitors new and versed and every year there are changes in this tiny burg. We here at The Villager call it EVLution and here are some of the changes and new things you may see while visiting this particular weekend:
Bike, Burritos & Brews: The popular Burrito shop that is also a Bike shop has made a few changes in the past year as they grow to accommodate all of the enthusiasts of both Bikes and Beans… The burritos made while you order and watch are always made fresh with the best ingredients owner Dennis Baldwin can find. Now Dennis has added a small bar to enjoy pints of beer from 42 North Brewing Company as The Outpost which served them has moved to the Bike, Burritos & Brews shop on Martha Street across the bridge from EBC. The new bar will be selling 4-packs to-go all summer and winter long. So, drop off your bike for repairs after a grueling ride on the mountain, grab a burrito and a pint or two. And on Fridays they dish up great fish tacos as well.
Good for the Spirit Gifts: In the same building right next door to Bike and Bean is a new shop. They are a crystal shop and spiritual wellness store. Self-credited as Ellicottville’s Spiritual Gem, Good for the Spirit Gifts is a premier holistic, mystic and metaphysical store. They offer tools of a spiritual sense to help you on your journey. They have Astrology, Mystical, and Fantasy themed gifts that are inspirational, spiritual and humorous. Suzy Woo is the proprietor and is a spiritual healer, astrologer, psychic medium, wedding officiant and international best-selling author. Suzy offers many gifts for spiritual healing and is a sound healer as well using tuning forks, gongs and singing bowls. And she is a Crystal Skull Practitioner. She is open all week and caters to walk ins.
Ratchet Hatchet: As one of the newer establishments that moved into Ellicottville not too long ago Ratchet Hatchet has become pretty popular as the only axe throwing joint in town. With a bar and kitchen, this experience has enlightened many folks who entered their doors these past couple years. And they have found they need to move to a bigger and better location to accommodate the number of visitors they get who want to throw axes at the targets, sip beers and eat from their delicious menu. They will be moving from their previous Washington Street address to 5 East Washington Street, in the same square as Kwik Fill and EVL Ink Tattoos and Apparel. Be on the lookout for Ratchet Hatchet’s new digs in the near future.
Thrive IV Lounge: Thrive IV Lounge is located at 5 East Washington Street and has been pumping folks with great vitamins and nutrients for a few months now. They offer a wide variety of different intravenous infusions as well as vitamin injections. Thrive IV Lounge recently had their Grand Opening celebration in Ellicottville and is a great place to reboot your system after a night on the town. They administer vitamins and nutrients directly into the bloodstream, which bypasses the gut and allows for a higher absorption rate than taking them orally, this also allows for results to be felt sooner so you can feel better, fast!
EBC Taqueria: Another off shoot of the popular Ellicottville Brewing Company along with their stores in Chatauqua county and the newest getting ready over the hill in Little Valley. EBC Taqueria opened not so long ago in the spot left vacant by the Gin Mill when they moved a few doors down. The Taqueria has grown since it started by putting a patio lounge out back for guests to enjoy while they chow down on the delicious Mexican inspired cuisine. Pork, chicken, veggie and beef dishes with that Mexican flavor has Taqueria making waves and the selections of beers is huge. The regular bar seats, tables and now the back patio is making Taqueria a destination stop much like its parent EBC.
Fatty Beer Company: Located on 219 kitty-corner from Tim Hortons before the 242 junction Fatty Beer is a dog friendly beer store that sells a grand selection of craft beer, wine, seltzer, soda, non-alcoholic drinks, snacks and a world-famous chicken sandwich. They have several location including Buffalo, Hamburg, Orchard Park and Wurlitzer, but the Ellicottville location is the spot for their goods this weekend. They have outdoor seating and beer delivery. This past summer they had a trivia contest weekly and teams played for prizes and bragging rights. Fatty’s is a bottle shop, tap room and craft community experience.
Ellicottville Skate Park: One of the newest and most exciting features happening in Ellicottville is the construction of the Ellicottville Skate Park located at the Village Park behind the Ellicottville Legion, where the big red, white and blue missile is. The skate park has been a talking point for a few years and is finally in the construction phase. It took a lot of time and fund raising for the local folks who gunned for it and in so they raised enough money to receive a matching grant from the Tony Hawk foundation to and make the dream a reality. Chris Perks along with his wife Brenda and their kids and many others in Ellicottville spearheaded this and are watching it come to fruition. Wheels should be shredding this spring or summer.
12 Gates Brewing Company: Moving into town soon is the 12 Gates Brewing Company based in Williamsville, NY. They are setting up shop at 14 Washington Street. It will be their second taproom and will be called 12 Gates of EVL and they will be opening this fall. They are super excited about this new announcement they just shared a month ago. Since their 12 Gates Jeep Club visited Ellicottville so much, they decide to open a taproom in the heart of the village to share their craft beer. 12 Gates core beers include West Coast Style IPA, Coffee Porter, and House Lager. They have limited releases of Hazy IPAs, Fruited Sours, and other seasonal favorites. This year, their Moonlight Fog took home a bronze medal in the Hazy IPA category at the NYS Craft Beer Competition. They are planning a huge party to celebrate their grand opening soon.
Ellicottville is ever evolving and growing. Here’s to another Fall Festival being safe and positive for everyone who visits and especially the folks working to make it fun and memorable. Have fun and BE COOL!