Public insurance company Allstate has been a presence in the Lewiston area for years, but recently has moved - if only across the street, to 424 Center St. The Lewiston agency's new exclusive agent is Phil Mastantuono.

Savory Sips and Village Wine Tours, a new business on Center Street, and owner Rebecca Christie is eager to begin doing her part to serve the Buffalo region. After Christie came up with the idea to hold a tribute concert to help fund Roswell Park Cancer Institute research, she began contacting musicians to play at the event and businesses to support the endeavor.

The sponsors and musicians Christie contacted for the event, "Inspiration," were equally enthusiastic. Christie says, "When I came up with this idea, I found that Roswell was thrilled to be a part of this event, and the band (playing the concert, Beatle Magic), donated a lot of money to sponsor this project. I was also able to make up the rest of the difference with enthusiastic sponsors."

What if the Village of Lewiston had its own version of the famous Pearl Street Grill & Brewery smack dab in the middle of Center Street? That's one proposal under consideration for the long-vacant Frontier House.

Ashker's Juice Bar, Bistro and Gallery opened this past week in the Village of Lewiston. The popular Center Street eatery was a little later opening this season due, in part, to the opening of a third Ashker's location (1002 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo).

Hops-N-Vines celebrated in fine style last weekend as the basement bistro marked its one-year anniversary at 490 Center St.

Hops-n-Vines, the super-cool lounge located at 490 Center St. (below Casa Antica), is celebrating its first anniversary next week. Proprietors Chris Salada, Kurt Minervino and John DiMino will host series of special events to mark the occasion.

Alan Hastings, the restaurateur who put "The Haystack" sandwich on the global map, is trying his hand at something completely different this summer: restoring a beat-up auto body shop.

After several months of remodeling, 453 Center St. - formerly known as The Steelhead - is set to reopen as Town Hall.

Lewiston's Relay For Life hosted a "Paint the Town Purple" event. There was a great turnout, with many stores decorating their windows in support of Relay For Life.

Grandpaws Pet Emporium recently opened at 784 Center St., in the Village of Lewiston.

Angel to Apple Clothing Boutique celebrated its sixth anniversary May 12 in the Village of Lewiston.

If you drive down Center Street in the Village of Lewiston and notice the construction on The Brickyard Pub & B.B.Q's patio, don't worry: They are not getting rid of it, they are building on to the current one.

VIDEO: The Niagara Frontier Country Club in Porter will hold an "Open House Golf Tournament" on Saturday, May 19.

Soully Created is celebrating its 10th anniversary in the Village of Lewiston. To mark the occasion, the boutique will offer a store-wide sale and refreshments for customers from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 5.

Tuscana Salon and Day Spa recently opened at 705 Center St. (former D'Amore Salon location), in the Village of Lewiston.

The Silo Restaurant will open for the season on Monday. Proprietor Alan Hastings has completely renovated the kitchen with all new, well, everything, he said. The goal is to accelerate the ordering process.

Simon Construction Co. has begun rehabbing the former "Bucket of Blood" at 65 Center St.

Despite a temporary lull in our pre-summer summer, Hibbard's Original Frozen Custard has opened in the Village of Lewiston. The ever-popular, 73-year-old ice cream stand is open daily from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m.

The children, women, and maternity seasonal consignment sale that began in Lewiston four years ago and has since relocated to Lockport, returns this weekend. MA-MA Sales will take place March 9 to 11 at First Presbyterian Church, 505 Cayuga St.

It's official: Lewiston has out-Franced France.

Keith and Marianne Gittermann's Lewiston Hollow Mercantile is featured in the March issue of Country Living magazine.

For six years, Mara Palermo has owned and operated her own salon, D'Amore, from the second floor of 705 Center St.

Center Street restaurant expands, adds menu items.

Angel to Apple hosts a one-day bridal gown sample sale.

•Lewiston Hollow Mercantile is hosting its annual storewide sale. Starred items are priced 20 to 80 percent below the tag price. Wreaths, swags, garland and artificial flowers are 30 percent off, and everything else (except sock monkeys) is discounted 10 percent.

"It benefits the locals as much as visitors," storeowner Marianne Gittermann said.

Lewiston Hollow Mercantile is located at 335 Center St. (at the corner of South Fourth Street). The storewide sale will continue for the next couple of weeks.

•"Absolutely everything is on sale" at Zeeter's Outdoor Stuff, said owner Pamela Pedley-Deming.

She invites patrons to shop for winter. All performance gear is discounted.

"Snow is actually going to arrive," Pedley-Deming said.

Niagara Cerebral Palsy recently received $200 from the Bee Hive Ceramic and Craft Studio in Lewiston to support its services for children and adults with developmental disabilities.

Still in need of a last-minute gift idea?

Michael and Lindsay Fiore, the new owners of The Village Bake Shoppe on Center Street, celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this month.

Why bake for the holidays when the Fiores will do it for you?

Tony Petrocelli will do just about anything for his students.

Grandpaws Place in Youngstown this week announced a change in ownership.

Following 10 years in business providing a vacation destination for pets, owners Andrew and Elaine Bell decided to scale back to concentrate further on their existing business in the Village of Lewiston - Grandpaws Pet Emporium, located at 245 Portage Road. They announced that Will and Trista Gabrielli, who have been running the kennel, would be taking over full ownership.

"Of course we have mixed feelings about leaving," says Elaine. "We will miss seeing our dog and cat buddies every day, although they are always welcome to visit us at the store."

Gourmet chef and knowledgeable wine enthusiast Rebecca Christie is the new owner of the Village Vineyard and Village Wine Tours, both located at 467 Center St., in Lewiston.

The Lewiston Kiwanis Club presented a $4,000 check to It Happened to Alexa Foundation co-founder Stacey Branchini on Wednesday.

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 21 for Brennan's Irish Pub.

Following April's violent storms, Frontier Lanes started to topple in much the same way pins fall on its bowling lanes. A third of the roof separated; the building's membrane lifted; steel fell off; signs blew down.

Move over, Redbox, you've got some competition.

With weeks of warm weather and the residual buzz from a "Man v. Food" taping, The Silo Restaurant had a great summer. In fact, "We've had a landmark season," Manager Alan Hastings said. "We weren't really expecting this much business."

An 1812 American flag, rocking chairs and a calendar of events are among the new changes on display at the Village of Lewiston Welcome Center at Academy Park. Deputy Mayor Bruce Sutherland said a team of volunteers is now in place and enjoying interacting with tourists -- including a couple that recently visited from Denmark.

Tired of dull hair? Do you want to experiment with a new hair color or get those fun, chic summer highlights you see celebrities sporting?

Before he was mayor in the Village of Lewiston. Terry Collesano was a barber.