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The renovation follows a series of multi-million dollar investments at Buffalo RiverWorks, the other major division of Pearl Street Cos.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Pearl Street Grill & Brewery undergoes a $250,000 renovation.
- Renovations include new seating, floors and an LED sign.
- New products include organic beer and non-alcoholic Train Wreck.
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Pearl Street Grill & Brewery is working to complete a $250,000 renovation to refresh and update the 28-year-old downtown site.
The project, which began two years ago with the installation of a new elevator, included a new sound system, new seating and new tap towers in the first phase completed this fall.
Underway now: Adding a new LED exterior sign; refinishing all the floors; reworking the seating to add another 20-25 seats in the front room and more intimate seating areas in the back. The bar/restaurant at 76 Pearl St. remains in operation throughout the project.
The work also includes redoing the bathrooms and adding new products through its brewing operation, including organically made beer using crops made without pesticides, canned hops water and a non-alcoholic version of its Train Wreck line.
“It’s a little bit of a spruce-up,” said Bill Casale, general manager and CEO at Pearl Street Cos. “It’s been almost 30 years. We’ve been pouring a lot of efforts into RiverWorks. We think it’s time to continue reinvestments into Pearl Street.”
The renovation follows a series of multi-million dollar investments at Buffalo RiverWorks, the other major division of Pearl Street Cos. Both appear on the Business First list of the region's largest meeting spaces. The company also last year closed its Lafayette Brewing Co. operation at Hotel @ Lafayette.
“They were all separate entities, but now the emphasis is (at Pearl Street). We want to continue to grow that business,” Casale said. “Right now, we’re going to focus on our two main properties and reinvest in them. Business is really good at both properties right now.”
In other restaurant news:
• Café Bewilderment held a grand opening Feb. 14 at 1235 Hertel Ave. inside The Monocle. According to Buffalo Rising, owners and life partners Avery Passons and Paris Klas will focus on farm-to-table brunch, lunch and pre-dinner offerings as well as a curated cocktail menu with service Wednesday through Sunday.
• A mixed-use building at 452 Pearl St. where Buffalo Bistro is planning a spring opening is available for sale. A listing went live Feb. 10 for $1.3 million. Listing by David Doer of Hanna, the 10,663-square-foot site, built in 1923, includes two first-floor restaurants and two second-floor apartments. According to the listing, most restaurant equipment is included in the sale.
• The owners of Left Coast Taco have bought the building they began leasing three years ago at 54 Elm St., East Aurora. According to a deed filed with the Erie County Clerk, Two Bays LLC bought the building for $650,000. The company is registered to a residential address in East Aurora that belongs to Nathan Root and Chelsea Jenkins, the operators of Left Coast Taco. Specializing in California-style tacos, Left Coast Taco first opened in the village in 2018.
