I spotted some papers tacked to the boards here at the former Freddie's Donuts the other day. Have to double check with City Hall tomorrow but I think it's a demolition. Sign on the building still says - always open. We'll see.
Last time I posted about Freddie's was, September 2006. Local photographer Karl Josker has a great thread about Freddie's - right here. As a kid in the suburbs I remember picking up donuts for school fund raisers here at Main and Michigan.
I've looked all over for pics from back in the day. Anyone?Artspace • BAVPA • Woodlawn Row Houses • fixBuffalo flickr
Creative Class • Shrinking Cities • Saturdays in the neighborhood
10 comments:
I pass by Freddies everyday on my way to work, and still have that pipedream about opening it up! I can taste those coconut sticks as I type this. When the notices were first posted in November, I stopped to read them and noted that asbestos abatement of floor tile and pipe insulation was taking place. That is either a sign of an impending demo or a rehab. My fear is that it will be torn down, however, late last week I noticed that the graffiti that recently appeared on the building has been painted over. That doesn't seem like an action that would take place for a building that would have a date with the wrecking ball, does it???
In case anyone wants an unused, unfolded Freddies doughnut box (they never changed design), the Quaker Bonnet Eatery on Allen Street has a stash of them (hurry!) that they sell for $5 each.
Jerry,
Neighborhood gossip says the conveyor system - later adopted by Krispy Kreme - is still in the building.
Didn't get to City Hall today. I'll double check the demo status tomorrow.
One of the comments on Karl Josker's photos from a Jason Maier, Freddie's grandson, said the moving company next door purchased the property and this was slated to be torn down by June.
I still remember playing with the electric eye automatic door opener when I was kid--this had one of the first of its kind.
When I was a wee boy my father and I would walk to Freddie's to pick up a dozen maple glazed on Saturday mornings. The amazing smell would only get stronger as we approached. I would stare at the many donuts and leave a greasy noseprint on the glass- not the only one.
We lived above what is now Roxy's at 886 Main Street. At that time it was the Camino Bianco, an Italian restaurant. The halls of the building always smelled of rich sauce at a simmer.
There was also a small store, maybe associated with a bus station, around Main and Allen. Mrs. Wiggins, the proprietor, kept a talking mynah bird. He was very social. I remember a fried breakfast smell there, and the carmel taste of a Sugar Daddy that my papa would sometimes get me.
There's my olfactory memory tour of the neighborhood circa 1967. Walking in dirty snow smelling donuts is still a favorite recollection.
Jerry - I can imagine this as an "old fashioned" Tim Hortons. I have a Mike Mulley photo of the old Freedies Doughnuts letters on the roof, it is awesome. I never was in the building, since it was closed well before I was born, but I know the history.
Maybe Rev Stenhouse can take over Freddies, then he could do the donuts and Rev Pridgen could do the Subway sandwiches and both of them could build houses of whatever sort.
One comment I heard a few years ago was that as neighborhood patronage fell off Freddies needed to be across the street where the inbound morning traffic could pull in. Ask the folks at Delta Sonic if that works.
Any news on the demolition notice?
No news on demolition plans. Got caught up voice mail hell - new City phone system - all afternoon. Will try again tomorrow.
I was reading today's "Business First" and saw that at the end of October, AAC Contracting filed a building permit. Description was listed as: asbestos removal in preparation for demo.
Pretty sure you have to abate before you can renovate, but something tells me that's not the case.
I understand growth and change; but somebody needs to use the building in a productive manner. Everything does not need to be demolished. For all the Tim Hortons and Dunkin Donuts. They could not shake a stick at Freddie's. The strawberry glazed fried cake, peanut stick and original glaze.....WOW. Some building need a second life, I believe this is one of them.
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