NIAGARA FALLS —
After nearly 30 years of operation, the owner of a Niagara Falls corner bar frequented by downtown workers and tourists alike, is passing along his business to a new owner.
Steve Masic, a graduate of Niagara Falls High School who has been involved with Players Lounge at Fourth and Niagara streets since he began working for his parents in the early 1980s and eventually took over, sold the business six months ago and celebrated his departure with a party last Friday. He plans to switch directions and open a Subway franchise in a building he owns next door at 326 Niagara St. He hopes to have the sandwich franchise operational by next year.
Masic said he has enjoyed his 30-year stint at the Players Lounge, as its location at 328 Niagara St. in the downtown area has attracted an interesting flow of people over the years, including locals, foreigners, casino and area hotel employees and, at one time, rock-and-roll star Rod Stewart, who used Players Lounge as a hiding spot to escape fanatic Buffalo concert fans one year.
“This area's pretty unique,” said Masic. “I met a lot of people from around the world.”
New owner, Mark O’Farrell, owner of O’Farrell Motors, 2017 Pine Ave., purchased the business with a partner, Michael Alaimo, a student at Niagara University. The pair plan on taking over where Masic left off, with only a few special changes such as adding more food items to the menu, including a specialty of chicken legs cooked like chicken wings.
“We're hoping to have a lot of specials like ‘Casino Night’ and hotel workers night,” O’Farrell said, noting plans are to continue to draw employees from the area. The pair also hopes to hold special events for nonprofits with celebrity bartenders.
“It’s a real nice, clean, comfortable, safe place to go,” O’Farrell said. “We basically just want to expand what Steve’s done over the years.”
Next door to the bar, Masic plans on investing about $300,000 to revamp that building, which will also house two renovated loft apartments in addition to the Subway.
“There is potential here,” said Masic. “I wouldn’t be investing if I didn’t see the potential.”
Communities
Related Photos
-
Former Players Lounge owner of 28 years, Steve Masic, left, speaks to new owner Mark O’Farrell outside the popular Niagara Street sports bar. Masic plans to stay on the block and open a Subway restaurant next door to Players.
-
Former Players Lounge owner Steve Masic, left, speaks to new owner Mark O’Farrell behind the bar at the popular Niagara Street sports bar.
-
Former Players Lounge owner Steve Masic, left, hands over the keys to new owner Mark O’Farrell at the popular Niagara Street sports bar.
Falls sees a change in ‘Players’
- Communities
-
-
It's ni hao Lew-Port for Chinese teacher
“Knee how.”
While the spelling is incorrect, the pronunciation is exactly how the Chinese say hello. The sentiment is precisely how Wang Ying, the newest — though temporary — member of the Lewiston-Porter faculty greeted her students for the first time when she arrived in late January. -
Memorial Day parade participants being sought
The Niagara Falls Veterans Memorial Commission is organizing the Niagara Falls Memorial Day parade this year.
-
Shining a light on the issue of teen dating violence
Kim Davidson didn’t fully grasp what her daughter had gotten herself into.
Although she had seen “changes” in Kari’s behavior — sudden distance from old girl friends, quitting the cheerleading squad, downsizing her college and career plans to accommodate a boy she’d only dated a few months — Davidson confessed she had no idea those changes were warning signs of a looming tragedy. -
Joseph Davis State Park gets some green
Officials in the Town of Lewiston received approval Thursday to spend a significant portion of the community’s incoming greenway funds on the redevelopment of Joseph Davis State Park.
-
Lewiston's welcome center honored as project of the year for historic restoration
A piece of Lewiston’s history is about to be honored as a preservation project of the year.
-
SLIDESHOW: Volunteers Search for Judith
Volunteers gathered on 102nd Street in Niagara Falls to search for the missing Judith Burr, 67. Shortly after the search began, the body of Judith was found in the dense brush just east of 102nd Street.
-
Niagara woman is fooled by ‘phisher’
Beverley Porter was taking a nap one day last week when her phone rang.
The scammer at the other end of the line had gotten lucky. After most likely making random calls to numbers in the 716 area code, he was able to catch the Town of Niagara woman when she was groggy, and slightly medicated from a minor surgical procedure earlier in the day. -
On the hunt for blue jeans at Niagara Falls High School
Students at Niagara Falls High School are ready for one final push in its campaign to win a national contest.
-
Lewiston Relay holding kickoff party
The kickoff to the 15th annual Relay For Life Lewiston will be from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, at the Hard Rock Cafe, 333 Prospect St.
-
Teacher likes this Apple at Lew-Port
Keeping up with technology is a problem almost everywhere. But in the classroom, a deficiency can cripple children as they move through their formative years into post-high school.
- More Communities Headlines
-
Raw Video: Israeli Embassy Car Attacked
Coroner: Don't Know Houston's Cause of Death Yet
Valentine Greetings Sent Worldwide From Loveland
Greek Austerity Measures Spark Riots
Raw Video: Obama Budget Goes to Capitol Hill
Arab League Wants U.N. Help in Syria
Nordic Festival Puts North Korea in Spotlight
'Rumor Has It' Adele's Rolling in the Grammys
Grohl, Grammy Nominees Cut Up on the Red Carpet
Greece Passes New Austerity Deal Amid Rioting
Raw Video: Greek Rioting Ahead of Austerity Vote
Raw Video: Child Rescued After Kosovo Avalanche
Pop Music Superstar Whitney Houston Dies at 48
Whitney Houston's Church Mourns Her Passing
Reaction to Houston's Death at Clive Davis Party
79 Turtles Seized at Shanghai Airport
Fuel Removal Under Way on Capsized Italian Ship
Police: Houston Found Dead in Her Hotel Room
