The history of Rochester’s iconic Midtown Plaza
In the 1950s, downtown Rochester already was losing shoppers to the suburbs, and McCurdy’s department store and the B. Forman Co. clothing store, led by Maurice Forman, pushed for an innovative mall to breathe new life into the center city retail world.
Barring a major tenant swooping in at the 11th hour and taking over the interior of The Marketplace Mall, it will close Dec. 31 after 43 years.
That will be the biggest retail closing of 2025 by far, and we are working on a separate story about it. (Mall businesses with exterior entrances, including J.C. Penney, Dave & Buster’s and Floor and Décor, are staying open.)
Here are 17 businesses, including three within Marketplace, that Rochester said goodbye to this past year.
Note: Closings of bars and most restaurants are being covered in other stories.
Akimbo Bookshop
Located at 713 University Ave., Akimbo Bookshop was set to close at the end of 2025. Owner Rachel Crawford, who launched the business in 2022, made the announcement in November. The store moved to the Neighborhood of the Arts after its original location in the East End was damaged by a fire in January 2023.
Auntie Anne’s at Marketplace Mall
Auntie Anne’s, a chain serving soft pretzels and other snacks, closed its Marketplace Mall location in August after 25 years. It continues to operate locations at The Mall at Greece Ridge and Eastview Mall.
Buffalo Wild Wings, Greece
In June, Buffalo Wild Wings closed its location at 1500 W. Ridge Road in Stoneridge Plaza, Greece, after more than 10 years in business. The chain still has a restaurant in the Towne Center at Webster.
Gaetano’s Bakery and Catering
Gaetano’s Bakery and Catering made its last delivery on March 16 after 40 years in business. Tom Noto opened the bakery at 1439 W. Ridge Road in Greece in 1985. It was named for Gaetano Savastano, his grandfather. Phil Noto, Tom’s brother, joined the business five years later. It started as a retail operation focusing on fresh breads, pizzas and other baked goods, and eventually added a wholesale operation and a catering business. The retail store in Greece closed in March 2020 and wholesale became the focus.
Jackson’s Bakery
Jackson’s Bakery, a beloved business at 614 Stone Road in Greece, closed in the spring. In June, it was shut down by the town of Greece and the Monroe County Department of Public Health. Jack Symonds opened the German-style bakery in 1947. After he retired, his son, Jim, ran it for more than 25 years. Matt Belk, who had started working at Jackson’s Bakery at 16, purchased the bakery in 2021. It was known for scratch-made cakes, “froggy” cupcakes, rolls, kuchens, radio bars and much more.
Jim’s at The Mall
Jim’s at The Mall at The Mall at Greece Ridge closed in May. At that time, the restaurant, which had deep roots and a loyal following, was within the footprint of the forthcoming Boscov’s department store. Initially, there was talk of relocating Jim’s to a different spot in the mall, but it didn’t happen. Jim’s owner Elena Knapp continues to operate Jim’s on Main at 785 E. Main St. in Rochester. Before Knapp bought Jim’s at The Mall, it was Critic’s at The Mall, which opened in 1967.
Essex
Essex, a large music venue that opened in the fall of 2023 at 1048 University Ave., closed at the end of February 2025. In March, owners Josh Miles, Zach Mikida and Mack Hartman took over an even bigger concert space, Anthology at 336 East Ave. in the East End.
Forever 21 at Eastview Mall
In the spring, Forever 21 closed its Eastview Mall store as the chain’s operating company dealt with financial problems. In May, the retailer, which sold trendy styles for young men and women at low prices, closed all of its stores after filing for bankruptcy. The Eastview store was the last one in the Rochester market. The Greece Ridge location closed in 2019.
Juan & Maria’s Empanada Stop at Marketplace Mall
In August, Juan & Maria’s, which has hadna longtime, successful stand at the Rochester Public Market, shut down its Marketplace Mall food court location after two years. The reason was simple: too little traffic. “We’re disappointed with how things went with the mall, but we do have some expansion opportunities on the horizon,” said Melissa Contreras, who co-owns Juan & Maria’s with her husband, Ben.
L&M Lanes
Two-level bowling alley L&M Lanes closed Oct. 30 after owner Garry Stubbings Jr. announced he was selling the business (also a destination for chicken wings). He said the closing would be temporary and that a new owner would reopen L&M after the completion of renovations.
Legacy at Grande’ Vie
The Legacy at Grande’ Vie, an assisted-living and memory-care facility in Penfield, closed in September. Watermark Retirement Communities, which managed the location, cited “ongoing financial and operational challenges.”
Macy’s at The Mall at Greece Ridge
Macy’s at Greece Ridge closed in April. A year prior, the struggling retailer announced that by 2026, it planned to shut down 150 “unproductive” stores, about a third of its locations, while investing in 350 “go-forward” stores. The only remaining Macy’s in the Rochester market is at Eastview.
Price Rite Marketplace at South Town Plaza
Price Rite closed its store in Henrietta’s South Town Plaza in November after 17 years. The chain, owned by New Jersey-based Wakefern Food Corp., has two other stores in this market: 375 Driving Park Ave. and 1200 University Ave.
Rite Aid
In May, pharmacy chain Rite Aid announced it was going out of business after declaring bankruptcy twice. At the time of its announcement, Rite Aid still had nearly a dozen stores in the greater Rochester region: two in the city, two in Batavia, two in Canandaigua, one in Chili, one in Geneva, one in Irondequoit, one in Newark, Wayne County, and one in Penn Yan, Yates County. All of them closed.
St. John’s Green House homes
In February, St. John’s, which operates skilled nursing facilities and senior living communities in the Rochester area, announced it was closing its St. John’s Green House homes on Sonoma Drive in Penfield. It cited low Medicaid reimbursement rates, the rising cost of care and staffing shortages.
The UPS Store in BayTowne Plaza
In November, The UPS Store in Penfield’s BayTowne Plaza, 1900 Empire Blvd., abruptly closed. Customers were directed to The UPS store at 2604 Elmwood Ave. at Brighton’s 12 Corners.
ZOKE Resto-Lounge at Marketplace Mall
ZOKE Resto-Lounge closed at Marketplace sometime in early 2025, although it isn’t clear when. Specializing in Caribbean food and cocktails, and serving an over-the-top brunch, it opened in mid-2023.
Reporter Marcia Greenwood covers general assignments and has an interest in retail news. Send story tips to mgreenwo@rocheste.gannett.com. Follow her on X @MarciaGreenwood.
