our roots

Mark, born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and Meredith born in Grand Rapids, MI, and raised in Central Square, NY met in Albany New York while attending college.  After a few years of dating, we decided to take on a new adventure and move to Buffalo, NY in the summer of 1999.  We soon found our groove and in  2009 we started an online hat store.  We showcased knit hats in various styles and colors.  We were so excited to get the first order.  For the better part of a year we worked hard to make this business a success. Unfortunately, the business did not work out.  But we would not stop there. We refused to give up on our dream.

The years that followed, we focused our attention to finding an actual store front.  So, we started pounding the pavement.  We walked up and down that street for months looking at rental properties.  Hoping that we would happen upon a location that would be available.  It never happened.  We soon set out sights on Hertel Avenue.  We heard that it too was populated with its fair share of small businesses.  Once again, we set out on our walks.  Up and down the street, popping into stores asking if anyone knew of anything that was going to become available.    One day in May of 2016, we both had the day free.   We started walking. We started at a Jewelry store.  They told us to head down to the Lamp Emporium, there we would get the information we needed on any vacancies that might be available.  There we were told that two stores were soon going to be vacant.  We could not believe it.  Before getting too excited, we headed over to where our new shop might be.  As we got closer to the store, we both started getting excited.  The location….fantastic.  The square footage….amazing.  We would be located right in the heart of North Buffalo.  Surrounded by restaurants and other small businesses, It all seemed like a dream.  After years of looking, walking up and down streets and waiting, we finally would have the chance we were waiting for. A business of our very own.  A legacy for our children.

Later that night, we were able to get in contact with the owners of the building.  She told us that both storefronts were soon going to be available and that we  could have our pick of which one we wanted.  We were elated. We chose our space.  What once was a tanning salon would now be hat store.  We knew we would have our work cut out for us, but we were ready. We would be able to put our own stamp on the space.  It would be warm, inviting with a cool element.  We opened our door on September 22, 2016 and Agorie Headwear was born.