Family Dollar, one of America's “fastest-growing discount store chains,” opened a store in the Grand Island Plaza on Grand Island Boulevard at Baseline Road. The company boasts 3,689 stores in the United States, located from Maine to Florida to South Dakota. During the last ten years, the chain has opened over 2,000 stores.
   “The merchandising concept responsible for this growth provides customers with good values in low-cost merchandise for family and home needs,” according to the company’s website. The Grand Island store has a great variety of low-priced household needs, including an extensive clothing section, household cleaners, food and other items.
   This Thursday, June 7, marks the store's second week on Grand Island. The store has been very well received by the community, according to Store Manager Dennis Rule. A Business Administration graduate from Niagara County Community College, Rule has been working in the retail business since 1972. He currently resides in Niagara Falls, but with only one other exception, all of the store's employees are Grand Island residents.
   Unlike the store’s neighbor, Odds-n-Ends, which relies on production overruns and closeouts to provide exceptional values, Family Dollar has buyers who seek out low-cost items for family necessities. The store keeps a more constant inventory of everyday necessities, according to Rule.

Starline USA To Hire Another 100 Employees

   Starline USA's Grand Island plant will add an additional 100 employees over the next three-year period, according the Company President Daniel A. Norris. The Canadian-owned Starline USA, in need of more space, located on the Island from Niagara Falls last year with plans to invest about $4 million in the local plant, including the addition of a new warehouse. The company decorates and distributes more than 250 items including mouse pads and coffee mugs sporting customer logos and advertising. Currently employing more than 80 people, it is Starline's intention to hire at least 25 more in the coming months.
   The Empire State Development Corporation's board of directors approved a $150,000 grant to support Starline's expansion.

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Curves For Women Joins Food Drive

   Curves For Women, 30 Minute Fitness and Weight Loss Center in the Love Road plaza is joining the Curves Food for Friends to benefit local food pantries.
   Curves is making a special officer during the month of March. Members bringing in a bag of non-perishable food items, exercising three times a week and losing five pounds and five inches will be awarded a limited edition Food for Friends t-shirt. Non-members interested in joining Curves may bring a bag of groceries in during the week of March 15 and have the normal service fee waived.
   For further information, call 773-5955.

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Local Photographers To Offer Kidcare IDs

   Two of Grand Island's oldest photography companies have teamed up with Eckerd Drugs to offer free Kidcare IDs from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 3 at Eckerd on Grand Island Blvd. Freelance Foto Service and Images Words and Pictures will be at the Eckerd on Grand Island Blvd. when they will take Polaroid photos and give out passport style folders free of charge to all of the children who come in. The photographers will be there until 4 p.m. or until all the folders have been given out.
   The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports that some 720,000 children are reported missing each year. That works out to be 2,000 kids each day. They also say that a recent photograph is the single most effective tool in assisting the police to locate these children and return them to their families.

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Kum On In Clothing Store

   Kum On In Clothing Store operates in the basement of Trinity Church, 2100 Whitehaven Road, from noon to 4:30 p.m. on Mondays. Clip and Save Kum On In Clothing Store special events:
February 26 – all pants, 10 cents a pair
March 5 – all items size 4 to 12 are 10 cents each
March 12 – all items for boys, 10 cents each
March 19 – all items for girls, 10 cents each
March 26 – everything in the store, 50% off
April 2 – all items in the store are free
April 9 – spring clothes ready for sale
April 16 – store closed.

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GI Businessman Starts 2nd Venture


By William O'Connor

   Business owner Richard Krawczyk is beginning his first year with his second business on Grand Island. Krawczyk took over Adrian's Custard and Roast Beef, near the north-west corner of Baseline and Grand Island Boulevard, three and a half years ago. November 3, 2000 he opened a second operation, Adrian's Pizza and Pasta, just across the parking lot in the Grand Island Plaza. He decided to keep the name "Adrian's" for both operations because it gives the business a sort of continuity. "Adrian's is a place where people want to go and meet...sort of a tradition," says Krawczyk.
   Taking over the pizza and pasta restaurant was on Krawczyk's mind since "late fall 1998," but after taking over the Custard and Roast Beef operation he "wanted to rest." When the location opened up again in the summer of 2000 he took advantage of what he saw as a "good investment."
   The choice to open a business on Grand Island was made because "It's home to me," said Krawczyk, a Grand Island resident since 1970. "There's no other place I'd like to live, maybe the Bahamas, Grand Island's a second choice," he joked. Grand Island people are "friendly," but "tough" customers, they expect "the best service quality and price...and I feel we can deliver that," he said.
   Adrian's currently sponsors a men's and women's volleyball team. Krawczyk wants the men to play the women in the hope that the men will win a game. He's not certain that will help.
   Adrian's Three Alarm Pizza, Deli Roast Beef Sub, and Royal Sub are Krawczyk's top favorites, but he "likes everything" on the menu. The restaurant also serves a modest but "nice selection of beers and wines." The location is available for banquets and other events according to Krawczyk. Regular business hours are from 11:00 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday; during the week they close at 10:00 p.m., weekends 11:00 p.m., and Sunday at 9:00 p.m.

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Getty Gas Station Under New Ownership

Barbi Lare photo

   You may have seen a gorilla caring around a man in a cage at the corner of Whitehaven Road and Grand Island Blvd. recently. It was a fake but it did attract attention to the fact that the Getty Gas Station is again open, now under new ownership. Ciffa's Automotive opened with a very competitive gasoline price to welcome customers. Owner Joseph Ciffa told us that his friend, Tim was filling in for the gorilla.
   In addition to the gasoline,Ciffa's offers a coffee club for the Island coffee drinkers. Buy nine cups, and the 10trh is free. Joe Ciffa will also offer flowers in the summer time.
   Auto tune ups, oil changes and auto inspection will be available along with uniformed attendants who will offer full service at the pumps. Not only will the gas be pumped for you but you can get your oil checked and windows washed.
   Joe Ciffa hopes to offer the old fashioned gas station service.
   Not a new business owner for the Island, Joe also ownes Imperial Landscaping and Rainmaker Sprinkler Systems.

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OxyChem To Close Island Operation

   Occidental Chemical Corp. has announced the closing of remaining operations at its Grand Island technology center. It was expected that 40 jobs would be eliminated and that the majority of those job holders will have been given notice by January 31.
   OxyChem spokesman Charles Dana said last week that the closing was a cost-cutting move for OxyChem, a division of Texas-based Occidental Petroleum. Research and development work, formerly done at the R&D Center on Grand Island, will shift to OxyChem's individual plants.
   About 60 employees lost jobs last May following the announcement that OxyChem would no longer be involved with the specialty chemical business. According to Island resident Charles Rader, head of the Grand Island site, 30 companies contacted OxyChem in the wake of those announced cuts to explore whether they could hire the displaced workers. Rader said he was impressed with the "Can we help" spirit the businesses demonstrated and is hoping his company "gets some more calls this time around."
   The Grand Island Technology Center, dedicated in 1958, employed 280 people at its peak. OxyChem plans to sell the 34-acre site which includes an 87,000 sq. ft. laboratory and office complex.

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Moore Business Forms Inc. Closes

   Official announcement of the closing of Moore Business Forms Inc. was made today (Jan. 11), leaving the Grand Island community somewhat shocked at the news. The company's intent is to reduced costs by $100 million. Approximately 128 employees lost their jobs.
   Moore, owned by Moore Corp. Ltd. of Toronto, opened its three-tiered $5.7 million Grand Island research center on Lang Blvd. in October 1978. A Federal and County grant for $600,000 financed the access road to the building which was also to serve other potential tenants in the 20-acre industrial park on Lang Boulevard.
   Through the cooperation of public officials, including those of Grand Island and Erie County Industrial Development Authority (ECIDA), Moore was persuaded to stay and build in Western New York. However, town officials were not happy with the announcement in 1979 that Moore was given a full tax exemption granted by the ECIDA which left the research center off the tax rolls for 20 years.
   Supervisor Peter A. McMahon made the following statement this morning: ""Moore has always been a great corporate citizen. They've contributed to the town in many different ways, one being their sponsorship of our Olympic Summer Playground Program. The community will lose because of the fact that they are closing the facility here. I've already talked to county and state officials to see if there is anything that we can do for Moore and most especially for the people who will be losing their jobs."

 

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Peggy's Hair Design opens

Grand Island Chamber of Commerce immediate past president Jack Hugill (left) and Grand Island Supervisor Peter A. McMahon (right) welcome Peggy Ragnar, owner of Peggy's Hair Design in the Rose Plaza on Love Road into Grand Island's business community.

Chamber welcomes new member

Kathleen Conn, owner of Jaco's (Grand Island Blvd. next to Martin's Fantasy Island), and newest member of the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce is shown second from left being congratulated by Chamber membership chairman Skip Mazenauer (left) and Supervisor Peter McMahon (right). Also pictured are Jaco's Manager Bill Scricco and Colleen Donovan.

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