Niagara County welcomes, celebrates Gene Simmons

Article and Photos by Joshua Maloni

GM/Managing Editor

Rock ’n’ roll royalty, Gene Simmons, visited Niagara Falls on Sunday. He keynoted a press conference outside of the Top of the Falls Restaurant on Goat Island. After speaking about his Rock Steady Sodas partnership with Paul and John Janik and Chris Haick, he traveled to City Hall, where he was given two keys to the city: One from City of Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino, and a second from North Tonawanda Mayor Austin Tylec.

Simmons was in town to mark the sale of the one millionth bottle of his MoneyBag Sodas, and to headline a fundraiser at the historic West Herr Riviera Theatre.

Niagara Falls Schools Superintendent Mark Laurrie served as master of ceremonies at the press conference. He said, “We're so honored. I'm so honored to be part of this celebration on this beautiful day. What a beautiful backdrop we have, and what a beautiful place Niagara Falls is. Niagara Falls rocks, and we're so glad that you're with us. We are so proud to have a worldwide icon like Gene Simmons with us, and MoneyBag Sodas, and all of the great things that they're doing.”

Restaino said, “The setting couldn't be more perfect to celebrate this tremendous partnership and to welcome Gene Simmons to the wonderful City of Niagara Falls. You know, these types of partnerships – these things that come together when you have people like Gene Simmons wanting to lean in with a product that they believe can really make a difference in the market – then you have magic happening. And so, we're proud to be able to host this event for today. We certainly welcome Mr. Simmons and the band to our community.”

Assemblyman Angelo Morinello said, “Mark stole one of my words: Today is iconic. We have the falls behind us. We have Gene Simmons. We have the Janik brothers: third-generation Niagara Falls family. If you look at the history of the Janik family, and Gene Simmons, you'll see a lot of similarities: hard work, vision, putting in the effort to make things better.

“You know, I read a little bit about Gene Simmons. They looked at the fact that people were coming away from alcohol, but they still wanted experiences. And the meeting with the Janik brothers brought together that vision. Individuals still want to go out, but they just don't want to have alcohol. There are establishments opening, and they are ahead of the curve.

“Gene, your vision is just spectacular.”

Gene Simmons speaks – and shares a MoneyBag Sodas – with located government, business and education leaders at a press conference Sunday outside of the Top of the Falls Restaurant in Niagara Falls.

Gene Simmons toasts with Niagara Falls Schools Superintendent Mark Laurrie.

Simmons said, “I've always believed in a very simple idea about America. We have astonishing beauty in the country. We have amazing cities – and we can point to Niagara Falls all day long as world-class. Very few things on the planet even get close to this. But the magic of America is its people, the entrepreneur spirit.

“Next time you're in the air, 30,000 feet away – it was invented by two brothers, two brothers in Kitty Hawk of all places, not in New York, not in L.A., not in the major cities. When you take a look at all the great advancement in human technology, and all the things that make our lives better, it's never from New York or L.A.; it's always from small towns with people who have big dreams, who make our lives better. Edison and his team were in New Jersey, not in New York; and Alexander Graham Bell, and so on – they're not in major cities.

“It always starts with people. I always bet on the horse, not on the cart. Always bet on the horse.”

Simmons recalled being at a fan convention in 2017 – “minding my own business, being the fabulous and attractive person that I am” – when the Janik family first approached him about a partnership. They have bottled soda in Niagara Falls since 1935.

“They told me the story of their father, who started in the soda business before any of you were born … and about how they grew up, and learned the nuts and bolts of this magic thing, this American soda thing, that rules the planet,” Simmons recalled. “Yes, the big brands rule the planet, but it's always the little craft companies that come up and become huge. And they're telling me about their father, and I met their mother and father, and couldn't have fallen in love with anybody more. Sort of endearing and welcoming and charming.

“And the dad told me what happened was the boys – the brothers Janik – wanted to get into the soda business, so they didn't do what a lot of kids do with their folks. You know, ‘Mom and Dad, we love you; can we take over the business?’ No, they bought it. They paid their father cash to take over the business.

“Now, that's what I call moral and ethical. That's who I wanted to be in business with.

“I get romanced by all sorts of big corporate entities, but you get lost in the shuffle. People move a lot of paper. When the brothers generally call me, I answer the phone, and when I talk, when I want to find something out, they're immediately there.”

“The greatness of all entities in the beginning is always about unique people.”

Simmons said, “I want to tell you that the greatness of this area – yeah, you've got (Niagara Falls) – is the people. You will not meet nicer, more welcoming and gracious people anywhere you go. In New York, if you look at somebody in their face, ‘What are you looking at it?’ Over here, ‘Hey, how you doing; nice to see. Are you from here?’ You engage with people right away. And that's who I want to do business with.

“I am involved with other businesses, and they're not all pleasant. Some of the people are @ssholes, and so that's not pleasant. You can always make money, do big business and so forth. Better to do it with people who you call family. And that's how I feel when I come right here to Niagara and Buffalo: I feel like I'm part of the family.”

The Gene Simmons Band is set to perform Monday night at The West Herr Riviera Theatre – part of a fundraising event to benefit the venue’s new lobby expansion project. Tickets cost $150. Visit https://rivieratheatre.org/event/gene-simmons-band/.

The 501(c)(3) Riviera Theatre is located at 67 Webster St., North Tonawanda. For more information, call 716-692-2413, email [email protected], or visit RivieraTheatre.org.

City of North Tonawanda Mayor Austin Tylec said a “worldwide artist coming to Niagara County is certainly an honor for all of us here. And it's quite a show today. But the real show is tomorrow at our wonderful West Herr Riviera Theater.

“As many of you know, there's an ongoing expansion there; and Gene and his entire band is going to put on a fantastic show, bring in a lot of people, a lot of money that will go towards our future expansion there. So, from North Tonawanda, we want to say thank you for coming here to our community, and helping our local arts and further expansion of our community.”

The MoneyBag Sodas flag flies outside of Niagara Falls City Hall.