It's the news that Buffalo barbeque lovers have been waiting to hear for years.
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, the much beloved Rochester and Syracuse eatery, has signed a long-term lease in downtown Buffalo, with a goal of opening its doors next summer.
Dinosaur CEO John Stage has chosen a 6,000+ square foot building at 301 Franklin Street that can accommodate around 180 diners. The building is owned by local developer Mark Croce. Croce says the lease allows Dinosaur creative license to customize the site to meet their needs.
"It's a very unique building. It's a fun building. It's got tall ceilings [and] unique concrete and steel architecture. It was originally a film warehouse built decade ago, probably in the '50s," Croce said.
The company had been scouting locations in Western New York for several months.
"They decided now is the time to make their move. It took us quite a while to identify the right location for them and show them why this was the best part of town to be in," Croce said. "We're proud to say that, working together with John Stage, we were able to come up with a great plan and a great reuse for this building."
Croce expressed optimism that the destination restaurant will attract diners from the suburbs and beyond to downtown Buffalo.
In addition to its upstate locations, Dinosaur BBQ has restaurants in Troy, Harlem, and Newark, New Jersey. It also has plans to set up shop in Brooklyn and Stamford, Connecticut.