South Wedge

Overview

After years of being known as one of the less-desirable parts of Rochester, the South Wedge has seen a tremendous rebirth in recent years.

“This is going to be the next Park Avenue,” Terry Bauer, owner of Beale Street Café on South Avenue, says boldly of the city neighborhood that encompasses South Avenue and the surrounding areas.

In the past decade, with the help of neighborhood groups and an influx of businesses, the South Wedge caught a spark and has evolved into a hip, up-and-coming neighborhood.

With a flavor of businesses that make it what many residents call Rochester’s Greenwich Village, the South Wedge offers college students many vibrant, unique places to eat, shop and live. From natural eateries to a handful of coffeehouses, off-beat clothing and music shops to at least one devilishly inviting bar, the South Wedge shows no signs of slowing down in its quest to become Rochester’s “must visit” neighborhood.

“I think the Wedge is doing great things,” says John Baker, owner of Cheesy Eddie’s. “The momentum seems to be really solid.”

Eat & Drink

This eclectic neighborhood in the south of Rochester has a lot to offer in terms of food and drink. Whittling the list down to our top picks was indeed a challenge, but here goes!

Beale Street Café

Though it may be miles away from Louisiana, the South Wedge has succeeded in bringing a little bit of New Orleans to Rochester. Beale Street Café serves up a hearty menu of pulled pork, barbeque ribs and live jazz and blues. Musicians from all over flock to the café’s main stage, which boasts local bands five nights a week and open blues jams on Mondays.
689 South Ave.
271-4650

Open Face Sandwich Eatery

If you’re looking for something beyond the regular sandwich, Open Face Sandwich Eatery on South Avenue should definitely be your first stop. Gone is the basic variety of sandwiches, sides and drinks. Instead, expect to find albacore, baguette chips and Moxie. Even more unique is Open Face’s apothecary — a collection of herbal remedies that can be added to any sandwich or beverage. Fight your cold by eating a sandwich or increase your libido while sipping on a latte. Does it get any better than that? We don’t think so.
651 South Ave.
232-3050

John’s Tex-Mex Eatery

This fairly new addition to the South Wedge offers up quality Mexican food with a twist. Specifically catering to vegans and vegetarians, owner “Taco” John Roth serves up a variety of vegetarian and meat dishes, all of which are extremely affordable for us college kids. The menu may not be as diverse as some other Mexican eateries, but the neighborhood feel more than makes up for it.
489 South Ave.
232-0863

Lux Lounge

Located at 666 South Ave., it is no surprise Lux Lounge has embraced its hellish theme. A fire pit, lots of local art and unique theme nights make this eclectic bar a kick ass (their words, not ours) place to be. Swing by on Tuesdays for $1 PBRs and free PB&Js (that’s Pabst Blue Ribbon cans and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for those not up on the lingo). Or bring a date on Wednesdays for the B-Movie Backyard Bonanza. Whatever night you show up, we guarantee you’ll find something entertaining.
666 South Ave.
232-9030

Boulder Coffee Co.

Boulder Coffee Co. is certainly not your average coffeehouse. With a fire pit as the first giveaway, this Alexander Street coffeehouse offers up uniquely named paninis, live local music and some interesting cocktails, including favorites such as Millionaire’s Coffee and Irish Cider. Such features have earned Boulder Coffee a reputation as one of the Wedge’s most popular spots, especially for the college crowd. “We come here almost every day,” says Tracy Fuhrmann, a student at the University of Rochester.
100 Alexander St.
454-7140

Women’s Coffee Connection

From the Peruvian coffee that fills customers’ mugs to the crafts that line the walls, the Coffee Connection on South Avenue dedicates itself to selling only fair trade and fair practice goods. In fact, it even goes one step beyond. The coffeehouse employs local women who are recovering from drug and alcohol addictions, giving them a second chance and a stable job. A cup of coffee here won’t only make your day better, it might just make countless lives better.
681 South Ave.
442-2180

Daily Perks Coffeehouse

Construction in the area has kept this Gregory Street coffeehouse a bit of a secret. But manager James Rowe aims to change all that with poetry nights, open mic events and an appetizing new menu. “I’m trying to do affordable gourmet,” Rowe says of his House of Hamez menu, which features dishes such as the Vegetarian Portabello Sandwich or the Washabi Cashew Tuna Wrap, that won’t put more than a $5 drain on your wallet.
389 Gregory St.
271-2340

Shop & Spend

Music stores, clothing shops, gay-friendly gift stops — the South Wedge certainly has a lot to offer visitors. No wonder everyone we talked to called it the “next Park Ave.”

Equal=Grounds Coffee House and The Pride Connection

Equal parts coffeehouse and gift shop, we just didn’t know where to put this one! Self-proclaimed by owner John White as the “friendliest gay shop you’ll ever visit,” this South Avenue business offers up a wide variety of GLBT items including books, artwork, film and jewelry. The South Wedge has one of the city’s highest concentrations of same sex couples, making The Pride Connection an obvious fit. But as its Web site is quick to point out, “gay pride is more than just triangles and rainbows, it’s the freedom to be yourself.”
750 South Ave.
242-7840

:nook

Mark Vera fell in love with the South Wedge while attending the University of Rochester in the 1990s. After leaving for grad school, Vera returned to the South Wedge to open a “modern boutique.” Sporting the name :nook, this unusual shop houses indie music, letterpress cards, handmade goods and even “hip” baby clothes. Vera takes pride in offering unique items that literally can’t be found anywhere else in Rochester.
658 South Ave.
342-6665

Cheesy Eddie’s

Cheesecake. That should be enough to draw you to Cheesy Eddie’s. If it’s not, try this — the smoothest, richest, all-natural cheesecake, at least according to its website. Born right here in the South Wedge, this cheesecake is shipped all over the country. Sure, you could just swing by your local grocery store for some of that frozen stuff, but trust us, no one does cheesecake better than Cheesy Eddie’s.
602 South Ave.
473-1300

Echo Tone Music & World Hair

Music and hair styling? That’s right — Echo Tone Music and the adjoined World Hair offer a combination that can’t be found elsewhere in Rochester. Sure, Echo Tone can do basic repairs, but they specialize in fixing any problem your gear might suffer from, according to owner Kurt Wilmarth. Once you’ve got the goods to be a rock star, let World Hair give you the look. Spiked, gelled, flipped — whatever your inner rock star is calling for. But don’t worry, they can do less adventurous ’dos too, just ask.
571 South Ave.
454-2160 (Echo Tone)
262-3350 (World Hair)

Do & See

Aside from the multitude of shops and eateries, the South Wedge also offers some fun things to see and do.

BoulderFest

Boulder Coffee Co. is a great place to grab a cup of joe, but who would guess it would also play host to a rocking summer music festival? Only two years old, BoulderFest features 30 bands rocking out at Boulder Coffee Co. over a three-day period. With art, music and food, BoulderFest combines the best of all the Rochester-area festivals.

South Wedge Green Grocer and Garden Center

Our college eating habits tend to revolve around the dining hall and fast food. Learn a bit about good eating habits at the South Wedge Green Grocer. This natural food grocery store focuses on local and organic products, according to store manager Michael Singer. “For students who would like the natural and unprocessed stuff — the simple stuff,” Singer says, South Wedge Green Grocer and Garden Center is definitely worth checking out.
495 South Ave.
454-3380

Live & Rent

This up-and-coming neighborhood is located pretty close to the University of Rochester. While it isn’t nearly as popular as neighborhoods like Park Avenue and Neighborhood of the Arts, the South Wedge has a lot of housing options available for the college student looking to live on their own.

And, that perceived lack of popularity might actually be a good thing — rents are typically lower than those in the Park Ave. district (and you can find some pretty large apartments to choose from).

Studios typically start around $300 and rent goes up steadily from there.

History

While the South Wedge’s new life began only within the past decade, it has a lengthy history that stretches back decades. Located very close to both the Genesee River and the Erie Canal, the South Wedge thrived on the commerce of the waterways. Many early residents were working-class laborers, shopkeepers and craftsmen working on the canal.

Even more noteworthy, however, the South Wedge can proudly say that it was once home to one of the country’s most well-known abolitionists — Frederick Douglass. From his South Avenue home, the ex-slave served as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. While in Rochester, Douglass also gave birth to his anti-slavery newspaper, The North Star. Though the Douglass family left Rochester after their house burned to the ground in the 1870s, Rochester now serves as Douglass’ final resting place — he, along with his daughter and first and second wives, is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery.