Fredonia celebrates small business surge

Fredonia has plenty to celebrate this Small Business Saturday: According to Mayor Michael Ferguson, eight new businesses have set up shop recently.

The flashiest addition is the revival of a community institution that lay dormant for years, the White Inn. Local entrepreneurs Steve St. George and Devin Jones purchased and renovated it. The East Main Street hotel and restaurant fully reopened Nov. 18.

That’s not the only business that recently opened on Main Street. Western Division Credit Union also started up in an office building next to the Dollar General plaza entrance.

The Bodega opened in the former Subway in the downtown core, offering a new convenience store option.

Revival Nutrition, which offers healthy smoothies and shakes, has also started business on Main Street. So has the Beyond Support Network, which assists individuals with disabilities.

Family Health Medical Services has opened a new office on Eagle Street. Dunkirk’s popular Mexican restaurant, Taqueria Mexicana, now has a Fredonia branch on the street.

The eighth new business is more a change in ownership – Ferguson said Monster Beach Brewery will be taking over the EBC West restaurant as of January, though the sale is complete.

Ferguson also touted recent renovations at Fredonia Place, and noted a new Sonic franchise is slated for Route 60.

Finally, Ferguson reminded that Brooks-TLC plans a new hospital on East Main Street. He said a “Coming Soon” sign for the hospital will soon be installed on the site, a former Cornell Cooperative Extension farm.