HARBORCENTER announces retail offerings

Fowler's Chocolates, Clayton's Toys and Modern Nostalgia/Blue Collar join Red Siren as retail tenants

Buffalo Sabres Chief Development Officer Cliff Benson and Vice President of Arena Operations Stan Makowski today announced HARBROCENTER's lineup of retail tenants. Fowler's Chocolates, Clayton's Toys and Modern Nostalgia/Blue Collar will join Red Siren with storefronts along the Main Street side of HARBORCENTER, across from Canalside.

"This initial group of retailers represents a homegrown Buffalo tenant base for the Canalside district to build upon," Benson said. "We are eager to welcome this impressive group of business owners who bring incredible amounts of experience and success."

Red Siren was announced as HARBORCENTER's first retail tenant in March. The additions of Fowler's Chocolates, Clayton's Toys and Modern Nostalgia/Blue Collar bring the complex's retail footprint to capacity. As of now, the shops are scheduled to open in the early part of July.

"Each of these owners is truly excited to bring their business to the heart of downtown and contribute to the growth and development of the Canalside district," Makowski said. "With four distinctive shops and 5,000 square feet of shopping space, this is a good start and we hope that it's only the beginning for the district."

•Fowler's Chocolates has been making important contributions to the Buffalo community dating all the way back to the Pan American Exposition. It was there that a young entrepreneur named Joseph A. Fowler operated a booth where he created and sold a variety of chocolate confections and sweets. The candies were such a success that Fowler opened a permanent shop in Buffalo following the conclusion of the exposition.

Fowler's Chocolates developed into a family business and is credited with the creation of "sponge candy," a Western New York dessert favorite. The company remained in the Fowler family until 1993, when it was sold to Randy and Ted Marks.

Fowler's HARBORCENTER shop will be the company's seventh location in Western New York.

•Clayton's Toys & Gifts was born in Buffalo in 1916. Originally a doll repair shop, then doll specialty store, Clayton's has grown into a specialty gift shop with a wide variety of popular toys and unique gift ideas.

The business was a mainstay in the Elmwood Village from its creation until 1991, when store was moved to Main Street in Williamsville. Almost 100 years later, Clayton's is still inspired by the whimsical ideas and timeless toys Eleanor Clayton and original owner Katherine Driscoll used to mold the store.

Longtime managers Kellie Klos and Tera McElligott, both residents of North Buffalo, recently purchased the company. They are expanding the business to introduce a second location and establish Clayton's first presence in Buffalo since 1991.

•Modern Nostalgia specializes in women's and men's clothing and accessories with exclusive lines. It was created on Allen Street in 2009 and moved to Hertel Avenue a year later, where owner Brianne Klejdys-Long further developed the Mod/Nos offerings, as co-owner of the men's shop Blue Collar.

Modern Nostalgia helped spark the resurgence on Hertel that has made it a popular strip for dining and shopping. The lifestyle store prides itself on collaborating with local designers and creating special events featuring DIY craft classes by Makers Buffalo and yoga classes by Love in Motion Yoga.

Klejdys-Long, a resident of North Buffalo, said she hopes her company's second location at HARBORCENTER will help spark similar growth in the Canalside district.

•Red Siren is a start-up concept by Performance Partners President and CEO Sharon Randaccio that specializes in higher-end women's apparel and accessories. Red Siren will appeal to local shoppers, hockey moms and tourists by bringing 50 specialty gift, jewelry, leather and clothing brands to the downtown waterfront.

Red Siren's concept aims to create a truly unique shopping experience that will attract visitors to the Canalside district because of its unique and popular items.