story by: duncan shaw photography by: wagoner photography inc. uch has been written about the bountiful history of western New York and greater East Aurora. After all, this idyllic hamlet in the great Lakes foothills has had more than its 15 minutes of fame over the years. while icons like the Fisher-Price Toy company and the Roycroft Arts & crafts community celebrate major milestones, East Aurora is busy creating new traditions and a culture of fun—grown up fun. Paul Allamby is a handsome 40-something advertising executive from Toronto. his disarming good looks, stylish European couture and deep tan distinguish him from the rest of the patrons at Joe & Marcy’s Bar-Bill Tavern this wintry, February Friday night in the snow belt, south of Buffalo, NY. It’s 2:30 a.m. and the party is going strong, with more than 60 people willingly packed into the long, narrow confines of “The Bill.” As we exchange lies of varying size, the sound of bad 80’s music blares from the juke box; ESPN Sportscenter glows in silence from the 90-inch big-screen; and the beautiful smell of hot-sauce fills the room, as plate after plate of the signature chicken wings fly from the kitchen to satisfy the late-night hunger pangs of the local collective—including our group of seven which swells and contracts as groups of local faces drift in and out of the conclave. Ten hours earlier, we had welcomed Mr. Allamby to East Aurora with a gift basket from Flowers By Nature, Fowler’s chocolates and Mainly wine waiting in his Roycroft inn suite. After a tour of our offices, Paul politely asked,“So what is there to do in this little town?” Five years ago we would have struggled to answer that question. “It’s 5:30. Happy hour awaits,” I replied. Borealis is a short stroll down Main Street from the office. This fine dining jewel resides in an elegantly restored turn-of-the-century home, providing a great start to our Friday night adventure. Paul, my two business partners and our spouses strolled into the two-story restaurant and were greeted by a guitar duet and a beautifully arranged table of crudités. The owner, Jeanne Stewart, and bartender Jeremy poured, mixed and shook us Gold Schlagers, Greyhounds and Gimlets as guitars sang, and the assembly of locals and visitors decompressed from another week at work. We donned our coats and headed back out onto Main, where light snow drifted down through the flood of yellow streetlights. After we crossed the street, we couldn’t help but stop outside Shoe Biz—not to window shop, but to ponder the scene inside. Thirty women, armed with wine glasses and credit cards, were surrounded by shoes. Paul was clearly bemused, perhaps even frightened. Across the street, 300 people were filing into the Aurora Theatre—the centerpiece of historic Main Street. Earlier, a local company had cleared out from a product release meeting on stage, to make way for the premiere of Million Dollar Baby on the big screen. As we continued our stroll, the quiet February air was broken again by the sound of music spilling onto the street. This time a local teen band was rocking Taste—the village’s consummate coffee house. Here we found ourselves standing in front of the old grain mill—the center of the agricultural universe last century. “Griggs and Ball,” as the locals still call it, towers above Main Street and has been remarkably transformed into a shopping and dining multiplex—a perfect harmony of preservation and progress. Paul is clearly drawn to the cosmopolitan feel of Taste with its concrete floors, exposed steel beams and the mix of young and old, main stream and alternative socialites. We reassure Paul that Taste is on the evening itinerary. Fifteen short steps later, we arrived at Tantalus—our dinner destination. The seven of us made our way through the heavy curtains, which hang in a semi-circle to create a perfect winter vestibule, protecting diners from an icy blast every time the door opens. Our host, John Rooney, a burly bearded man with a passion for wine, hurried over in his cargo pants and long t-shirt, harried from the first sitting surge that every Friday brings. Paul, meanwhile, surveyed the large rectangular dining hall with its tiled tabletops, area rugs, gothic candlelit windows and floor-to-ceiling wine racks in the back corner, where our table was waiting. “Very cool,” was the best that our guest from the big city could muster —again shocked at what “Little Town USA” had to offer. Two hours passed in the blink of an eye as Tantalus treated us to tasty appetizers, superb meat and seafoods and some real gems from its excellent wine list. We visited Napa Valley, Tuscany and the mountains of Chile, while a strolling violinist charmed the patrons with delicious music. Satiated, we strolled back to Taste for coffee and dessert. Yvonne Evilsizor, the colorful and gregarious owner, greeted us as we ogled the dessert case. As is the custom there, we were given a celebrity nickname to identify our order of latte, cappuccino, hot chocolate, carrot and cheesecake. The cashier handed the George Clooney tag to Paul and smiled sheepishly. The band played, the people laughed, the snow continued to fall. As we enjoyed our dessert and coffee, Paul—already an honorary resident— wondered, what could we possibly do on his next visit? He thought he had seen it all, but no—there was still the fish fry at “Wally’s,” Friday Night Jazz at the Roycroft, dancing to live music at “The Lanes…. “ I have no doubt that he’ll be back soon. After our treats at Taste, we ventured outside as the second show at the movie house was letting out; diners from Borealis were strolling to their cars; the shoe party was breaking up; and people were headed to and from Riley Street Station, the Ice House, Wallenwein’s Hotel and Tony Rome’s. Our Canadian visitor admired our Norman Rockwell street scene and asked about “the plan.” We told Paul that we would be happy to take him back to his hotel if he wanted, but we were heading out to “The Bill….” Duncan Shaw, a renowned writer, entrepreneur and business consultant. Duncan’s work has been published on three continents covering subjects from travel to technology, winemaking to copyright. The Greater East Aurora Chamber of Commerce, Inc. 431 Main Street, East Aurora, NY 14052-1783 (716) 652-8444 (Fax) 652-8384 Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri. E-mail: Designed By: AURORA Consulting Group Inc.