“A Destination of Discovery”
Partners Michael Poczkalski and David Brugh have had a tremendous vision for years. The hardest part of writing the most recent chapter of that vision was to find the perfect location. So many times, they had a building within their grasp, only to have it slip through their fingers. I spoke to them on numerous occasions, after their hopes had been dashed.
The circular “monocle” window can be seen towards the roofline of the building
But if you know anything about Michael and David, then you know that they are driven – relentless – when it comes to accomplishing what they have set out to do. In the case of The Monocle, their hope was to recreated the glory days of the bespoke shopping experience that would have been ever-present in downtown Buffalo during the height of the lavishly curated 1940’s department store era (AM&As, for example).
The Monocle – now open – is the culmination of all of their experiences in business, life, and travels. There’s nothing else like it in the region. This is the type of business amalgam that cities crave. Not only is the entire concept sensational looking, inside and out, the amenities are on point. From the outside, the former synagogue is sleek and intriguing – work is still underway to dress up the patios, with chairs and tables, and lush planting scapes.
Inside, there are 2 floors (9,268 sq.ft. structure) dedicated to a “full lifestyle shopping experience.”
Walking upstairs, people are greeted by a vaulting showroom filled with an assortment of furniture, accessories, and design concepts and ideas. This is where Michael, owner and principal designer of Michael P. Design and ROOM, operates a stunning interior décor center featuring just about everything needed to outfit a residential home or commercial office.
The focal point of the room is a wall decorated with glass elements that were once pieces of ROOM’s chandeliers, when the store was located on the opposing side of the street. The wall is striking. So is all of the lighting, which is inspired by the classic metal-rimmed monocle eyepiece. Other design inspirations hail from Japan and Scandinavia, with plenty of art deco splashes. The sales floor boasts everything from fabrics to wallpapers to kitchen cabinetry – the cabinetry has a dedicated to showroom, fabricated by NC Woodwork.
Walking downstairs, to the right, ROOM’s focus shifts to smaller artistic-inspired gifts, candles, and similar décor items.
To the left is where David operates Crockett & Co. As the owner and principal barber, he has created his ultimate salon habitat, complete with a jaw-dropping European-inspired shopfront entranceway.
Once inside, one’s eye is immediately drawn to a 1905 apothecary case from London, and then to a set of bookcases from an 1885 Boston row house.
Aside from offering cuts, beard trims, head shaves, and the hangover treatment (coming soon), David has also curated a fabulous selection of men’s gifts and personal items, including sunglasses, wallets, bracelets, scarves, oils, fragrances, and keychains. The actual salon room is right out of an international design magazine.
Believe it or not, we’re not done yet.
Keeping in line with the department store schematic, there is a wine bar and bistro café that is still in the process of unfolding. Michael and David are looking for an operator/s, guest chef/s, guest café and/or bakery owner/s, and anyone else that might have the chops to do something in keeping with the bespoke nature of The Monocle. This could be performed by a sole operator, or it could be a collaborative approach. The dining and drinking faction of the operation is the next phase of the impressive undertaking to get underway.
One might say that anyone interested in pitching the owners a concept… “the world is their oyster.” And don’t forget that there is plenty of outdoor seating to work with – the possibilities abound. More than anything else, Michael and David are hoping that the bistro-café concept is as big of a draw as the rest of the building components.
Finally, there is a third floor design office mezzanine, where clients can work with members of the design team. This area is cleverly cantilevered, and showcases a series of old world-style daylighting windows that overlook the showroom floor.
Michael has ensured that there are plenty of places to meet and draw inspiration, whether it’s the showroom floor’s client island, or at the (coming up next) bistro-café.
Here’s the lay of the land:
ROOM –On the main floor, room offers a newly curated furniture collection highlighting the best in furniture and home trends. Gifting and accessories features a selection of high-end unique items that have a more limited availability than a typical big box or national retail chain. Expanded retail offerings include jewelry, scarves, bags, dishware, glassware, outdoor lifestyle and picnic baskets. Couples can have a wedding registry with ROOM at The Monocle.michael P. design – The Monocle hosts the design offices of michael P. design and the team of five designers. Residing on the newly created mezzanine level, the michael P. design offices overlooks the ROOM showroom floor.Crockett and Co. Barbershop –Crockett and Co. Barbershop occupies the lower level of the building offering services such as traditional wet shaves, full beard trimming and time-honored classic barber services haircuts. Crockett & Co.’s offerings are inspired by the grand heritage of the olden days but tailored for modern, style-conscious individuals.Apothecary –An extension of Crockett & Co. is the traditional apothecary offering unisex face, hair and body products as well as fragrances. The Apothecary would is located on the lower level featuring exclusive product lines.Library –Located on the lower level adjacent to Crockett & Co., a cozy Library with fireplace offers a place for guests for a brief respite from shopping. The Library features additional gifting such as books and cocktail ware.Mr. Potts Coffee & Tea Emporium –Mr. Potts (a family name that is a play on cooking pots and plant pots). The Monocle’s prime social setting that focuses on an assortment of specialty in-house baked goods, exotic teas and locally sourced coffee. A curated collection of cocktails and wines, as well as lunch and traditional tea service.
In the summertime, there will be outdoor pop-ups on the patios. When the weather gets colder, the plan is to have a winter market. Picture a series of vendor carts, for example. The Monocle is destined to become an ever-morphing experience, changing with the season, and design trends.
An elevated powder room experience
It’s hard to imagine that this building was simply a shell, not long ago. Now, it’s a dream destination for anyone looking for inspiration, whether it’s for a bite to eat and drink, getting a haircut, shopping, or to walking around in search of divine inspiration.
“It’s laid out perfectly,” said Michael. “It was a challenge to design – to make it look and feel like the other desirable places that we looked at. It’s not what we were expecting. While we lost those other places, we ended up winning in the end. Being on Hertel is exactly where we need to be. The prime location turned out to be just what we were looking for. It’s something new and different. It’s been quite the undertaking. We jumped off the cliff, and we’re taking everyone on this wild ride.”
As a way to give back to all of the other neighborhoods that they considered, before landing on Hertel, Michael and David are starting a foundation that will raise funds for the beautification of Buffalo, whether it’s through plantings or public art. Now, if you ask me, that’s something that could take on a life of its own. There are plenty of opportunities to beautify this city, if we all start thinking along similar lines.
But first things first – when it’s all buttoned up and firing on all cylinders, The Monocle will be a place that lifts the spirits, in more ways than one.
Personally, I would like to thank Michael and David for always believing in this city, and contributing in ways that we will never truly be able to fully grasp. They are certainly bulldog-ish on Buffalo.
Now it’s time to have some fun, playing around in their latest over-the-top design-forward creation.
The Monocle | 1235 Hertel Ave, Buffalo, NY 14216 | info@themonoclebuffalo.com | Instagram
An ADA lift is currently being installed, to make the building more accessible.
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