Batavia Boardwalk Shops return for 2023 season May 12

Batavia MainStreet’s Boardwalk Shops will open for the 2023 season on Friday, May 12 in downtown Batavia. They will be open through December.

The shops are located at the corner of Wilson Street and Route 25 in Batavia.

According to Batavia MainStreet, this year’s shops are Benton & Main, home decor and homemade wood signs; The Blue Owl Market, redesigned home furnishings; Fancy Nancy Boards, handcrafted charcuterie; Fox Valley Gallery of Wood, a variety of wood-crafted home goods; Gather Bakery, fresh-baked breads and cookies; More Polish Pottery, authentic Polish pottery, dinnerware, ornaments and more; Signed by Crystal, wood signs and laser cut designs; Simply Kirious Soaps, handmade soaps, bath goods and more; and Thrown Threads.

Shop hours will be Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Batavia Boardwalk Shops are designed to attract small businesses, create more retail shopping and bring people into downtown Batavia, according to a previous news release from Batavia MainStreet.

The program offers small business owners an opportunity to sell products and services of interest to local shoppers. Vendors located in the shops will be exposed to traffic from the Batavia Farmers Market, neighboring retailers and all other events held downtown. The Batavia MainStreet organization has created a program that helps educate and provide real-world examples for these startup businesses to succeed at the next level, according to the release.

Of the eight shops operating in the 2020 inaugural season, six moved on to permanent locations. Of the 10 shops in 2021, six have opened locations and are succeeding. Two of the 2022 shops have signed leases for future homes, according to the release.

In the three years since its inception, the shops have netted more than $1 million in sales.