CooCoo U has officially landed (and opened) on Niagara Street, bringing with it some of the most sensational collections of mid-mod, space age, art deco, MCM, kinetic, sputnik, and futuristic collections of contemporary furniture and iconic designs ever known to man.
It was back in December when we first announced that CooCoo U owner, Michael Merisola, was notified that his retail warehouse location at 111 Tonawanda Street could no longer be open to the public due to outdated sprinkler issues. Instead of vacating the warehouse, Merisola decided that a better plan would be to open a showroom at 1261 Niagara Street. Not only would he be able to hold onto his vast storehouse collections of authentic furniture and accessories, he would also be able to increase his presence in the neighborhood. Thankfully, this really is a lemons to lemonade type of Buffalo story – not all of them end up with such win-win scenarios.
CooCoo U’s new showroom is a real stunner. What was formerly an open industrial storage space has become a fabulous showroom, filled with curiosities that only Merisola could source. A walk through the 6000 square foot retail gallery is jaw-dropping. Possessions range from period chrome and leather club chairs to rare folk art sculptures. The range of expertly curated items is impressive… almost otherworldly. Even uncanny.
For someone who has been around the block a few times when it comes to an appreciation for mid-century modern pieces, I am constantly amazed at the impressive finds at CooCoo U. I spoke to Merisola a while back, who told me [laughing] that CooCoo U should be listed as a “must visit” cultural destination with Buffalo’s travel bureau. To me, there’s really nothing funny about it, because these are the types of places that make cities stand out. It’s serious business. Whenever I pay a visit to CooCoo U, there are customers from all over the country… all over the world, for that matter. And now, with the opening of Great Point Studios just a few blocks away, Niagara Street has got some real international mojo going for it. I can’t tell you enough, just how lucky we are to have CooCoo U representing Buffalo – especially along a section of Niagara Street that continues to impress as it morphs into a stellar commercial district.
CooCoo U Showroom | 1261 Niagara Street | Buffalo NY 14213 | (716) 432-6216
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