2 new businesses open on Main Street in Lyndonville

Photos by Tom Rivers: Savannah Vigrass, owner of the Webber Cafe by Sav's Event & Catering Company, opened the business on Sept. 1 at 29 S. Main St., the spot for the former Webber Café. Autumn Kidney is in back by counter.

LYNDONVILLE – Two new businesses have opened on Main Street in Lyndonville in space that saw major renovations by Robert Smith.

Savannah Vigrass opened the Webber Cafe by Sav’s Event & Catering Company on Sept. 1 at 29 S. Main St. She took over the space from the Webber Kitchen Collaborative.

Vigrass, a Gasport native who now lives in Barre, said the community has responded to the business which offers coffee and an assortment of “grab and go” sandwiches. There are also soups and salads, mac and cheese and baked goods.

She has named some of the sandwiches after characters in banned books. Those sandwiches include The Tom Sawyer, The Gatsby, The Charlotte, The Clarisse, The Minerva and The Winston.

Sav’s sells a $10 after-school meals for that have been popular. Those include a mini sandwich wrap, two protein balls with peanut butter, seasonal fruit, chips or a cookie, and a beverage.

“There are more and more kids coming in,” Vigrass said. “It’s great.”

Savannah Vigrass said the location includes space that can be rented out for birthdays, bridal showers and other events.

Vigrass, 33, is a graduate of the Niagara Falls Culinary Institute.  She has worked and other local establishments and is grateful for the chance to run her own business. She had been doing catering, but needed a certified kitchen to prepare the food. The Lyndonville location has a certified kitchen for her catering jobs, and the space also has proven to be a welcome spot for people to come in an enjoy coffee and some food.

She is making the kitchen available to others for $25 an hour, and the indoor seating also can be rented out for parties and events.

Vigrass also has shelves available for vendors. The Lyndonville Spoerts Boosters sells Lyndonville shirts and sweaters.

Another vendor creates cards, onesies and sunglasses.

Vigrass become connected to Orleans County in 2020 during the Covid restrictions. She started kayaking in the Oak Orchard River and is a member of the Oak Orchard River Rates. She is one of the moderator’s of the group’s Facebook page which has about 5,000 members.

She said several family and friends, especially Jeanette Worsley, have helped her since she opened in Lyndonville, with many days of steady customers. Sav’s sold out twice on Election Day.

Sav’s is open seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Thursday and Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Phil Hitzges is shown at Sweet Tilly’s Mercantile which he opened with his wife Melissa Fricano. Tuesday was there opening day and they were busy with all the people out for the election.

Phil Hitzges and his wife Melissa Fricano moved to Lyndonville two years ago.

“We have fallen in love with the village,” he said. “We want to give people more options.”

These flasks were made in Idaho. They are among the products at Sweet Tilly’s made by small businesses around the country.

Hitzges is retired as a chef. Fricano works at the Wisdom Farm in Clarence, which offers equine therapy.

He wanted a business that would promote small businesses in the United States.

He and his wife have created Sweet Tilly’s Mercantile at 29 S. Main Street. They named the store after their cat – “a real sweet heart,” Hitzges said.

Sweet Tilly’s has products made by 20 artisans and small businesses around the country. Several are from New York, and there are products made in Michigan, California, Oregon, North Dakota, Vermont, Idaho, Nevada, Nebraska, Arizona, Florida, Wisconsin and North Carolina.

Hitzges and Fricano have a range of products, from pottery, bracelets, gloves, cat toys, bath and body products, candles, shower steamers, cards, magnets, and many others. The merchandise ranges in price from $3 to $90.

“We want to keep it reasonable,” Hitzges said.

Sweet Tilly’s is looking more vendors, including local artisans.

“I’m a firm believer in supporting small businesses across America,” Hitzges said.

The business is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.