Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Crew members help guide a 195-foot-long barge as it nears a bend on the Erie Canal in Gaines this morning, close to the historical marker that notes this spot is the northernmost point on the Erie Canal. This photo was taken at about 6:25 a.m.

Crew members from Carver Companies started the day early in Albion. A tugboat pushing the barge started at 6 a.m. and began moving a 195-foot-long barge from its overnight spot between the lift bridges in Albion.

There were a few people up from the community to see the tugboat and barge begin the trek headed west. Carver Companies estimates it will be in Medina around 8:30-9 this morning.

Donna Matteson drove from Kent to Albion to see the barge at 6 a.m. She is pleased to see the canal used to move some heavy cargo. In this case it is two sections of a pedestrian bridge in Buffalo.

Carver already has moved two other sections of the bridge to Buffalo, passing through Orleans on Monday and reaching Buffalo on Tuesday. Carver has been moving the two big barges for about 2 1/2 weeks on the canal, starting in Albany.

Crew members stand on the end of the barge to help direct the massive vessel carrying sections of a bridge. This was at about 6 a.m. when the crew departed from Albion.

The barge and tug head west while early morning mist is on the canal in Albion.

The barge gets under the guard gate in Albion. Carver Companies said the two sections on the barge are bigger and heavier than the first two that passed through Orleans County on Monday. The heavier cargo caused the barge to sit lower in the water, scraping bottom at times on the journey.

Carver Companies posted on its Facebook page the barge needs to draft 9 feet in order to clear under bridges that are 15 feet, 6 inches.

The two pedestrian bridge sections on the barge today are 2 feet higher than the sections are on the first barge, so Carver has the barge sitting deeper in the water to get under the bridges.

The barge passes under the Gaines Basin Road canal bridge.

The barge and tugboat heads west near the northernmost point of the canal, with Eagle Harbor the next hamlet on the journey.

Carver Companies said it is hoping to reach Buffalo Saturday morning with the two sections of the pedestrian bridge.

MEDINA – A grant from Apex Wind Energy will help the Medina Railroad Museum move forward with its efforts to upgrade the museum’s display to make it more interesting to children.

“We haven’t had much in the way of interactive displays,” said longtime board member Rick Henn. “The addition of a train simulator will allow kids to sit down and run a locomotive.”

On Monday prior to the Museum’s board meeting, Anna Mathes of Barre, field organizer for Apex Wind Energy, presented a check for $4,000 to board members and museum director Jeff Lewis.

Mathes explained Apex Wind Energy has been presenting grants in the amount of $400 to $4,000 since 2020.

While the total cost of the simulator is in the neighborhood of $10,000, Lewis said this check is a great start.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – A 195-foot-long barge made it to Albion, passing underneath the Ingersoll Street lift bridge at about 7:40 p.m.

The barge is carrying two sections of a pedestrian bridge headed to Buffalo. The tugboat CMT Otter pushed the barge from Rochester to Albion today. The barge and tug are staying in Albion overnight, and will head east at about 6 a.m. on Friday.

Carver Companies, a company based near Albany, expects the barge will reach its final destination in Buffalo on Saturday. The first barge carrying two other sections of the bridge passed through Orleans County on Monday. On Tuesday it reached Buffalo at Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy.

The barge heads west on the canal in this photo taken from the Brown Street canal bridge.

The two sections on the barge today are bigger and heavier than the first two. That caused the barge to sit lower in the water, scraping bottom at times on the journey.

Carver Companies posted on its Facebook page the barge needs to draft 9 feet in order to clear under bridges that are 15 feet, 6 inches.

The two pedestrian bridge sections on the barge today are 2 feet higher than the sections are on the first barge, so Carver has the barge sitting deeper in the water to get under the bridges.

The canal is listed as being 12 feet deep, but Carver Companies said it is lesser than that in some spots. “This resulted in slower speeds than expected today,” Carver posted on social media.

Here are more photos of the barge and tugboat coming into Albion this evening.

The barge emerges from underneath the Brown Street bridge.

The barge carries a long sing urging people to “Follow Me To Buffalo.” The trip started about two weeks ago in Albany and has attracted lots of media attention and many onlookers.

A 1,200-horsepower tugboat has kept the long and heavy barge moving.

Many people took photos and videos of the barge coming into Albion, and tying up for the night between the lift bridges.

Photos by Tom Rivers

KNOWLESVILLE – A group of about 50 4-H’ers and their families spent Wednesday evening at the 4-H Fairgrounds for a workbee, tackling projects to get the buildings and grounds for next week’s fair.

This photo shows 4-Hers in the horse barn, taking down last year’s decorations in a Hawaiian theme and putting up new ones in a disco theme from the ’70s.

Julie Fenton of Medina fastens decorations in a disco theme to one of the gates leading into the horse barn. Fenton’s daughter Kenley, 14, shows horses at the fair.

Walter Gabalski, right, helps put together pens for goats and sheep on Wednesday during the workbee. Mason Rutthoft, 10 of Barre, helps with the set up. He will be showing three goats at the fair next week.

Gabalski and his family are in the Orleans County 4-H program even though they live in Byron in neighboring Genesee. The youngest of Gabalski’s seven children is the last 4-Her in the family. Hugh Gabalski is 17. He will be showing two lambs and several rabbits at the fair.

Brilyn Rebisz, 19, of Bergen helps with the pen setup in the barn for goats and sheep. Brilyn has been showing goats at the Orleans County 4-H Fair since she was 11. This will be her last year as a 4-Her.

“This is the highlight of my summer,” she said about the fair. “It’s all the relationships with everybody. It’s like a family.”

Adam Dresser of Medina uses a saw to cut steel anchors out of the concrete floor in the cattle barn. Corey Miller of Lyndonville is at left.

The anchors were removed in an area that had a milking parlor. But there won’t be any milking cows at the fair this year. There will be many heifers that are dairy animals, but don’t need to be milked.

With no milking parlor next week, the space can be used for displays, Miller said.

This group gets stalls set up in the Knights Building.

Orleans County should get a second chance today to see a tugboat pushing an enormous barge carrying two sections of a pedestrian bridge.

Carver Companies from near Albany has spent two weeks directing two 195-foot-long barges along the canal. The barges are carrying four sections of a 266-foot-long pedestrian bridge for the Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy in Buffalo. The bridge was made in Italy.

Carver was able to get the first barge from near Rochester all the way through Orleans County and to Gasport on Monday. The barge reached its destination in Buffalo on Tuesday.

Carver had to send the tugboat back Wednesday to get the second barge. It made it to Adams Basin near Spencerport. The tugboat was scheduled to start the day at 6 a.m. and go to Rochester to get the second barge. Then it will head west from Rochester around 9 to 9:15 a.m., according to a Facebook post from Carver.

The company hasn’t posted an estimated time when it will be in Orleans County. Carver posts updates on its Facebook page for the ETAs.

The trek for the barges has been widely publicized in the media since the trip started in Albany. Many people have lined up along the canal or on bridges to get a glimpse of the tugboat and barge.

The tugboat “CMT Otter” has been getting a workout the past two weeks pushing barges carrying a pedestrian bridge that will be installed in Buffalo.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Bullard Park welcomed a bigger crowd of kids today for the summer recreation program. Today was the program was open to children throughout Orleans County, as well as Elba’s summer rec program in Genesee County.

There were six bounce houses set up, as well as face painting, food, a magic show and other activities.

About 300 kids were at the park today, said John Grillo, Albion’s recreation program director.

Seven students form the Iroquois Job Corps helped run the event today with the village recreation department.

Kade Leverenz, 5, of Holley heads down the slide in one of the bounce houses.

These kids play with giant Legos brought to the park by the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern. GOMOC used a grant from ESL to purchase the blocks and other games. The Ministry of Concern also used the grant to pay the $5 cost for each ticket for a child to use the bounce houses, attend a magic show and also get food served by the Masonic Lodge.

John Hollenbeck, 14, volunteered with the Masonic Lodge and served up popcorn.

Patrick Holman of Medina put on a magic show. Here he is assisted by Julianna with a rope trick. Holman tied a knot that moved up and down on the rope. The rope also was cut in half and then seemed to miraculously come back together as one rope.

These kids try to catch the knot from the rope. Holman performed his show for about 50 kids at the park’ amphitheater.

Press Release, Genesee Community College

These GCC faculty or staff honored with Chancellor’s Awards include, from left: Karlyn Backus, Amy Conley and Richard Schlesinger.

BATAVIA – Seven exceptional members of the Genesee Community College team have been recognized by the State University of New York for outstanding contributions to their profession, the campus and the community.

The SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence is given in recognition of consistently superior professional achievement and encourages the ongoing pursuit of excellence.

The following faculty and staff members earned a SUNY Chancellor Award for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Richard A. Schlesinger was awarded the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching. This award recognizes consistent superior teaching at the graduate, undergraduate or professional level in keeping with the State University’s commitment to providing its students with instruction of the highest quality.

Dr. Schlesinger has been a member of our college’s communication faculty since 2016 and has taught a variety of courses including Interpersonal Communications, Speech, First Year Experience, Career Explorations, and Argue and Debate. Communication courses go well beyond the textbook since lessons need to come to life with real-world applications, and Dr. Schlesinger creates well-crafted lessons which are designed to build practical skills.

He is a highly experienced individual known for creativity and adaptability both inside and outside the classroom and is committed to student success. In addition, he is the author of: “If You Don’t Ask The Answer Is No: A Practical Guide for Getting Through College Without Falling Through the Cracks” and is currently working on his second book.

Michele L. Terry was honored with the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in the Classified Service, a system-level award established by SUNY to give system-wide recognition for superior performance and extraordinary achievement by employees in the Classified Service. These awards demonstrate the University’s commitment to individuals who provide superior service to its students and the community at large.

Terry has been a member of our college’s classified staff since her arrival in 2002. She began as a Clerk-Typist, became a Secretary, and has been in the role of Executive Secretary since 2009. She has cheerfully transitioned to different job responsibilities under different supervisors over the years and continually maintains a positive atmosphere.

Terry has proven to be a “patient teacher” to new employees and often steps up to help at the Hub of the Student Success Center. Terry is involved in, and assists with, many campus events. In addition, she serves as secretary to the GCC Association Board and became a notary public in 2019.

These honorees include Elizabeth Simmons, Teresa Sukiennicki, Laura Taylor and Michele Terry.

Teresa L. Sukiennicki received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service, which recognizes the consistently superior service contributions of teaching faculty. This service must be sustained over multiple years and may occur in a variety of venues.

Sukiennicki has been a member of the college’s biology faculty since 2006 when she started as an adjunct instructor prior to becoming a full-time faculty member in 2009. She has been regularly involved with the Academic Senate, including being co-chair of the Academic Standards Committee for over eight years. She was the Outdoor Adventure Club advisor for eight years, and regularly volunteers within the community. Sukiennicki maintains her connections with educators outside of the College through her participation in several professional associations and gives back to the community through her weekly volunteer work at EquiCenter.

Elizabeth M. Simmons was awarded the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Librarianship, which recognizes consistently superior professional achievement in the field of librarianship.

Simmons has been a member of our college since 2017 where she started as a Reference and Cataloging Librarian, and in 2019, she became a Systems & Electronic Services Librarian. She has served in a critical role as she navigated the library through some impactful changes including migrating the library’s website, establishing technical workflows and training staff for a new Library Services Platform, implementing a laptop loaning program for students, and configuring and implementing a study room booking software in the library.

Simmons is GCC’s SUNY Librarians Association campus delegate and is an active member of other state library organizations in addition to holding positions on a variety of college committees.

Karlyn M. Backus was recognized with the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service. This award recognizes consistently superior professional achievement within and beyond the position.

Her service to the college began in 2009 as an adjunct instructor, in 2011 she was hired full time as an ACE Program Specialist, she joined the college’s Records Office in 2019 as the Assistant Registrar and was then promoted to Registrar.

Backus has always been an individual that embodies the spirit of “Serving Beyond Expectations.” She is well known not only on campus for her contributions of knowledge, teamwork and innovative solutions, but at the SUNY level as well. A few examples of her work include leading and supporting several digital transformation efforts, implementing a collaborative collegewide professional development group, and leadership roles within the college’s Academic Senate and Information Technology Advisory Council.

Amy V. Conley was awarded the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities, which supports the pursuits foundational to sustaining the intellectual growth of SUNY institutions by recognizing consistently outstanding scholarly and creative productivity, conducted in addition to teaching, by SUNY’s instructional faculty.

Conley has been a member of our college faculty since 2009. Some of her career highlights at GCC include her work with the Business Creators Club over the past 14 years and innovative contributions on delivering course content, specifically through hyflex. In addition, Conley is a faculty liaison with the pTECH Program, a 23-24 SUNY Online Ambassador, works extensively with The BEST Center to create and teach classes, mentors student participants in the annual business idea pitch competition, and is an active member of GCC’s Educational Initiatives and Career Services Committees. Beyond the classroom, she organizes countless activities including networking events and promotes student involvement in the community.

Laura J. Taylor was honored with the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes consistently superior teaching at the graduate, undergraduate or professional level in keeping with the State University’s commitment to providing its students with instruction of the highest quality.

Taylor has been a member of our college since 2017, and since joining GCC, has transformed the college’s fashion degree program in several important ways. She oversaw the transition of the annual fashion show from the Forum to the Arena; and perhaps even more remarkably, was able to find a way to make the event possible during the pandemic. Taylor works to maintain connections with fashion business leaders nationwide, strengthen relationships with fashion programs at 4-year institutions, and has been instrumental in transforming GCC’s fashion degree program to modernize course content and provide students with the best possible resources available.

“We are incredibly proud of the exceptional individuals who have received the SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence,” said Dr. James Sunser, president of GCC. “Richard Schlesinger, Michele Terry, Teresa Sukiennicki, Elizabeth Simmons, Karlyn Backus, Amy Conley, and Laura Taylor have consistently demonstrated outstanding contributions to their respective fields, our campus, and the community. Their commitment to excellence and dedication have had a profound impact on our students and the overall educational experience at Genesee Community College.”

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Orleans County Joint Veterans Council today was given a van to be used to transport veterans to medical appointments.

Pictured from left include Jake Hebdon of Cooper Funeral Home in Medina, Josh Mitchell of Mitchell Family Cremation & Funerals, Joint Veterans’ Council president Dave Kusmierczak, and Joint Veterans’ Council secretary Nancy Traxler, who is also the county’s veterans service agency officer. (Mitchell is handing off the van’s keys to Kusmierczak.)

Cooper Funeral Home and Mitchell Family Cremation & Funerals merged on April 1. The funeral home co-owners said the new partnership brought efficiencies, and they didn’t need the van anymore.

The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica has about 73,000 miles. It has a value of about $15,000. Rather than sell it, Hebdon and Josh Mitchell wanted to give it to the local Joint Veterans Council.

The funeral directors said they work with the local veterans frequently, especially the Honor Guard that attends funerals for veterans.

Dave Kusmierczak is president of the Joint Veterans Council and one of the volunteer drivers. The council will be able to retire one of its five other vans that is high mileage with about 120,000 miles.

“This was a total surprise,” Kusmierczak said about the van. “It’s a blessing they looked us up to give us the van.”

The council typically saves money from donations and fundraisers and then buys a used van that is low mileage.

The council has about 20 volunteer drivers who take veterans to about 1,000 medical appointments each year. The council is always looking for more volunteer drivers and people in the office to schedule drivers for appointments.

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer can call (585) 589-2856.

The van donated by the funeral home will be inspected with decals added that says it is owned by the Joint Veterans Council and provides transportation to veterans for medical appointments.

Daughter of Saint Gianna joins in grand opening celebration

Photos by Michael Mroziak/Western New York Catholic: Father Mark Noonan, pastor of the Orleans Niagara East (ONE) Catholic Community, blesses the newly opened St. Gianna Molla Pregnancy Outreach Center located on the grounds of St. Mary’s Church in Holley. Jim Simon of Lyndonville, chairman of the pastoral council for ONE Catholic, holds the portrait of St. Gianna Beretta Molla.

Dr. Gianna Emanuela Molla, daughter of St. Gianna Beretta Molla, speaks inside St. Mary Church in Holley last Thrusday at the conclusion of a Mass celebrating the opening of the newest St. Gianna Molla Pregnancy Outreach Center. The center is adjacent to the church. Standing with her is Cheryl Calire, who heads the Diocese of Buffalo’s Life Ministries.

HOLLEY – The pregnancy outreach center opened last Thursday at the St. Mary’s Parish Ministry Center in Holley, and the daughter of a saint was there for the grand opening celebration.

The center is named for St. Gianna Beretta Molla, who was born in 1922 in Milan, Italy.  As a young woman she became a pediatrician and wife. She and her husband, Pietro, had three children, and yet Gianna was able to balance the demands of motherhood, wife and doctor.

In 1961 she became pregnant with their 4th child, but learned early in the pregnancy that she had cancer. Gianna, herself a doctor, refused to take any steps that would place her child in danger. Accepting the risks that carrying her child to term meant for her, she insisted in the days prior to giving birth, “If you must decide between me and the child, do not hesitate: choose the child – I insist on it – save him.”

On April 21, 1962, Sr. Gianna gave birth to her daughter, Gianna Emanuela, and despite all efforts to treat St. Gianna, she passed away a week after giving birth. She was canonized a Saint by Pope St. John Paul II on May 16, 2004.

The daughter for whom she gave her life, Gianna Emanuela Molla, attended the dedication Mass and opening of the new center on July 11 in Holley.

Father Mark Noonan, pastor of the Catholic churches in Orleans and eastern Niagara counties, heard the inspirational story of St. Gianna firsthand from the pope. Father Noonan was the celebrant for this special Mass last Thursday.

The St. Gianna Molla Pregnancy Outreach Center in Holley is the 8th center in the Diocese of Buffalo, Noonan said.

“We are grateful to be able to serve families by providing material, emotional and spiritual support to mothers, fathers and families in need during and after pregnancy,” he said.

Kathy and Bob Schumacher are directors of the center. ONE Catholic plans to open a satellite office to meet with families at Holy Trinity Parish in Medina.

“We are so incredibly blessed to have St. Gianna’s daughter be a living witness to the heroic virtue of her mother at our dedication and opening,” said Kathy Schumacher. “We hope to provide a caring and compassionate atmosphere to assist families from pregnancy through the first years of life.”

Dr. Gianna Emanuela Molla reacts with joy entering St. Mary’s Catholic Church last Thursday.

Photo and information courtesy of Orleans County Sheriff’s Office

KENDALL – Two fishermen were able to swim ashore after their boat capsized on Sunday.

Peter Keppler, 71, of Medina and William Wittman, 44, of Albion were fishing on a 1994 fishing boat that is 26 feet long. They were about 5 miles offshore, said Sheriff Chris Bourke.

“At some point, the vessel began taking on water and the bilge pump was not functioning,” Bourke stated in a news release. “The two individuals equipped with life vests eventually ended up in the water. After being in the water for over five hours, the two individuals were able to successfully swim to shore at Knapp Shores in Kendall.”

The vessel was found partially submerged in Lake Ontario the next morning by Orleans County Sheriff Marine Division Deputies Ryan Flaherty and Jason Barnum. The vessel was found approximately 4 miles northeast of Bald Eagle Marina in the Town of Kendall near the Monroe-Orleans County line.

Orleans County Sheriff’s Marine Division was assisted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine.

“Thankfully nobody was injured during the incident, and the occupants made it to shore safely,” Bourke said. “The U.S. Coast Guard was notified of the incident and are planning to remove the vessel as it was determined to be a hazard to other boaters.”

MEDINA – Canalside Tattoo has been a big fundraiser for the Cat by Cat, Inc. organization in Medina.

Canalside raised $10,000 for the group in 2022, and then $18,000 last year.

Shannon Blount leads the local Cat by Cat efforts.

This year’s event on Aug. 18 already is off to a big start. There are 12 tattoo artists offering to do tattoos on Aug. 18 at $100 each. All of the slots have been claimed already. They sold out fast once the online portal opened on July 11.

Canalside has 12 artists volunteering their services on Aug. 18, up from nine last year. The tattoo team includes Shawn Ramsey, Tyler VerCruysse, Andrew London, James Christian, Matt Rolfe, CJ Cruickshank, David Jednat, Christopher Coronado, Bree Sunshine, Melissa Freeborn, Jade Ellen and Derrick Buyea.

There will also be a basket raffle and body piercings available, with all proceeds going to Cat by Cat. This year’s Caturday also will feature face painting by Lainey Freebern and caricatures by Isabel Ramsey.

Cat by Cat seeks to humanely “TNVR” cats through targeted trapping. Cat by Cat focuses on a TNVR model – Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Return.

The Medina team cares for about 150 cats a year. Feral or community cats remains in “overwhelming” problem in Medina and Orleans County, said Shannon Blount, leader of the Medina team.

The money from “Caturday” goes towards neutering, medications, vaccinations, food and cat litter, and other supplies.

The Caturday event also will give the public a chance to see Canalside Tattoo’s new home in what owner Shawn Ramey is calling the “Fantasy Factory.”

Photo by Tom Rivers: Shawn Ramsey, shown last month, said the former AJ’s Play Date site will give the tattoo artists and their customers much more space and privacy.

Ramsey opened Canaside in 2015 in a small storefront on East Center Street. In 2017, he moved to Main Street at the former Curvin’s News, tripling his space from the first location. He then expanded next door in 2020, giving him 3,500 square feet.

Ramsey said he would have been content to stay put. But the former AJ’s Play Date building became available at 627 West Ave. It offered Ramsey even more room and a chance to create the “Fantasy Factory.”

Ramsey said Tom and Nancy Mack were excellent landlords of his Main Street location.

“But the opportunity presented itself to own my own building,” Ramsey said. “It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”

Medina contractor Tim Miller has been doing the bulk of the construction work, putting in partitions, an office space, a gaming room for Ramsey and staff, and making other changes.

File photos: These are some of the cat-themed tattoos done by Canalside Tattoo during the Caturday fundraiser in 2022.

The interior space will have partitioned space for tattoo artists, giving them their own work area and providing more privacy.

“Each station will have its own unique vibe,” Ramsey said.

There will be more display room for Canalside merchandise and to showcase local work from artists and crafters. The Fantasy Factory also will a gym/workout room for Canalside staff, as well as a kitchen and break room.

Canalside is the drop site for the toy drive during Medina’s Parade of Lights. It is a serving stop during Ale in Autumn and Wien About Winter.

But “Caturday” is Canalside’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Even though all the tattoo slots are taken, Ramsey and Blount said people can donate baskets for the raffle, or just make a donation towards the cause.

For more on Cat by Cat, click here. For more on the Caturday fundraiser, click here.

Richard Sarrero, who helped start Shirt Factory Café, leads new venture in downtown

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Staff of Factory Espresso at Hart, which opened in the Newell Building at 113 West Center St., include from left: owner/general manager Richard Sarrero and baristas Riley Tompkins, Katie Hilobuk and Tatianna Mason.

MEDINA – The building formerly known as Newell Shirt Factory has a new tenant brewing up business under its roof.

Richard Sarrero, who owns the building with local attorney Andrew Meier, has opened Factory Espresso at Hart, serving espresso, breakfast and lunch.

Factory Espresso opened for business on June 1 and is slowly growing. The business added a breakfast and lunch menu this week and plans to release a full menu next week.

The current menu includes some old favorites from the Shirt Factory Café, such as the Bob Hope and Rich Little sandwiches.

The espresso menu features the basic flavors, along with specialty drinks, such as Ube latte (a sweet and nutty root vegetable, also known as a purple yam), blackberry lavender white mocha and muddled mint and pistachio.

Factory Espresso also offers online ordering as well as curb service.

“If you call in your order, you can pull up in front, put on your four-way flashers and we will run it out to you,” Sarrero said.

A lot has evolved at the Shirt Factory in the last few years, but Sarrreo is quick to mention more is in the works.

Richard Sarrero, owner/general manager of Factory Espresso at Hart, watches barista Katie Hilobuk prepare a drink.

The Newell building has undergone a number of major changes since Meier purchased it in 2005. His first step was to open the Shirt Factory Café in 2007.

He would later remodel the entire building, creating offices on the second floor for the law firm of Webster, Schubel and Meier and two hotel rooms, and hotel rooms on the third floor.

The hotel rooms are known as Hart House Hotel, after the hotel which existed there from 1876. The Hart House Hotel served guests until 1918, when Robert H. Newell established his high-end shirt business there. The business would exist in some form until 2004.

 Sarrero entered the picture in 2013.

 “I needed something fresh in my life, and was looking for a career change,” Sarrero said.

 He purchased the Shirt Factory from Meier and had started a wine bar in back, which they closed and then opened the Boiler Room in space that actually was the boiler room for the shirt factory.

In 2015, 810 Meadworks opened where Factory Espresso is now and leased space for the Beegarten in back as a performance venue. Sarrero at that time added a juice and smoothie bar to the Shirt Factory Cafe.

 In 2018, Medina natives Scott Robinson and his wife Alix Gilman decided to return home from Washington, D.C. and were looking for a place to open a craft cocktail lounge in town.

“It all happened at the right time,” Gilman said. “Rich needed a change and Scott and I were looking for a spot to open a cocktail bar.”

At that time, a barber and a knitting store once occupied two spaces in the building.

Covid raised havoc with the Shirt Factory (Café had been dropped) and business became strictly takeout. 810 Meadworks moved from the downtown site to Leonard Oakes Estate Winery on Ridge Road in Medina. The knitting store moved out in 2020, while the barber had left some time before. Sarrero and Baillie McPherson had a beauty salon in the Shirt Factory, before moving to a larger space on Main Street. They were the last business to occupy the space which is now Factory Espresso.

The Shirt Factory is still in business as a cocktail lounge, operated by Gilman’s brother, Christopher Kozody. It is open from 3 to 10 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, serving craft cocktails and a variety of elevated bar food and small plates. They are also open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays, serving brunch.

Gilman called it a “Boozy Brunch,” featuring mimosas and Bloody Mary’s.

She is happy to see Sarrero has opened Factory Espresso at Hart.

“It’s exciting to see Rich back doing what he loves,” Gilman said. “It completes the building and serves as an amenity to the hotel.”