Business

Business

Unpaid billions
A growing chorus of bricks-and-mortar small businesses are protesting what they see as tax law inequities driving them to the brink by requiring they collect and remit sales taxes while their electronic counterparts prosper through tax-free goods and services.

October 24, 2011 4 Photos 2 Stories 1 Video 1 Link
Hoagie Brothers is back at Taste
Hoagie Brothers has some faithful followers. And the restaurant is hoping to see some of those followers on Sunday.
Duane and Sharon Behm of Lockport say they stop by the South Transit Road submarine and pizza shop frequently. They conservatively estimate about 10 trips a week to Hoagie Bros., not including the times they stop by with visitors. The Behms like to tell as many as possible to come by for a bite.
“We tell people all the time,” Duane said. “It’s excellent, the best subs.”

August 19, 2011
Good Karma
There’s a lot of good stuff at Cafe Karma, a new specialty sandwich and coffee shop now open on Main Street.
Located at 21 Main St. in the Lockview Plaza, the shop was formerly The Daily Grind, a coffee shop that had been there since it opened in 2006. Co-owners John Verbocy and Dennis Farley opened Cafe Karma about three weeks ago. So far the response has been good.
“It has been amazing,” Farley, a Newfane native, said.

March 4, 2011 1 Photo
Duffy headlining annual Chamber of Commerce gala
New York State Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy will be the keynote speaker at the Niagara USA Chamber of Commerce’s annual Honors dinner next week.

February 18, 2011
Local businesses get ready for Super Bowl
Last year’s game between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints was the most-watched television program in history. This year there is increased local interest in Super Bowl XLV, thanks to Niagara Falls native and Green Bay running back James Starks and Lockport native and Steelers offensive line coach Sean Kugler. Add that together with Green Bay being the last seeded team from the NFC and the off-the-field activities of Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, and today’s game means a lot of people are going to be watching.

February 6, 2011
First Niagara reports record earnings
A big year finished with a big surge in profits for First Niagara.
The bank brought in $140.4 million in reported net income for the year, much higher than the $79.4 million in 2009, according to the company fourth quarter and year end results released Thursday. For the fourth quarter of 2010 First Niagara reported an income of $45.9 million, up from the $28.9 million reported a year ago.

January 28, 2011
Scirto Jewelers celebrates 65 years in Lockport
Bill Scirto has been in the jewelry business a long time.
His business, Scirto Jewelers celebrated a milestone last week, its 65th anniversary. The Main Street store has been in the same location since it opened Dec. 8, 1945.
"We’re still here,” Scirto, 80, said. “We still do our own repairs, our own diamond setting, clock and watch repair.”

December 13, 2010 1 Photo
First Niagara Risk Management expands in Pennsylvania
First Niagara continues to expand as its insurance subsidiary adding another firm from Pennsylvania.
First Niagara Financial Group, Inc.’s insurance subsidiary, First Niagara Risk Management, announced Wednesday it had purchased Banyan Consulting of Pittsburgh and Mechanicsburg, Pa. Banyan provides risk management, employee benefits consulting and investment services.

December 2, 2010
AES Somerset back online
AES Somerset went back on line Tuesday after the coal-burning power plant on Lake Road was down 24 days.
“The plant is in start-up today,” Plant General Manager Peter Bajc said. “During the time we were down, the Somerset people remained on the job.”

December 1, 2010
Tops reports 39 percent increase in sales
Tops Markets saw a 39 percent increase in net sales during the third quarter of 2010, the company reported Tuesday. And that success is due in large part to Tops’ purchase of 55 former Penn Traffic stores.

November 24, 2010
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