Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch.

Published April 10, 2020.

Where are you from? How did you end up in Rochester?

I am Rochester born and raised. I lived in LeRoy growing up, and graduated from Churchville. I’ve lived in other places--Miami, California--but I came back to Rochester because I was a bit homesick. Rochester is home base for me. With the weather, opportunities, and ability to raise a family here, we’re very lucky to live in this area.

What is your favorite part of living in Rochester?

The nature. I’m a non-professional bird watcher, and I’m always going on hikes. Blackcreek Park and Churchville Park are some of my favorite places for bird watching. I’ve seen birds I didn’t even know existed up here! I saw a purple exotic-looking bird with a 24 inch beak in Black Creek. I also see American eagles there all the time, unusual species of duck, and so much more.

It’s also great that we have so many unique, different shops in the city. I love supporting small businesses, brew houses, wineries, and little food venues. But you can also go five minutes down the road and be in a beautiful park or bird sanctuary.

What are some hidden gems you've discovered around Rochester?

Buttermilk Falls in LeRoy, for sure. The subway--it’s one of my favorite spots to explore, sitting under the bridge and looking at the city. It’s so peaceful. We have access to so much in such a small area. We have a lot of little spots like that around Rochester.

What's the most unique or interesting event you've attended in Rochester?

My favorite festival was East End Fest, but it doesn’t exist anymore! I wish they’d bring it back. I love pedal tours, I went on one for a bachelorette party and it was so fun. I also enjoy going to CMAC for shows. Amerks games are great too. I’m a Toronto Maple Leaves fan, so I love going up to Toronto for a day and going to the game. That’s the best part of Rochester, everything that is around us. We have new restaurants popping up every week, and they’re all super unique in their own ways.

If you had $100 and two hours to kill in Rochester, how would you spend the money/time? 

In Rochester there’s so much you can do without having to spend money! I’d probably get a growler of Scotch Ale from Rohrbach’s then sit down in the subway for a bit. Then I’d head to Swillburger, buy as many coins as I could, and play some Pacman.

What are some of your favorite local nonprofits to support? 

Lollypop Farm, for sure. I have five cats, some of which I rescued from Lollypop.

If you could only eat one Rochester food for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

Smokin’ Pete's loaded brisket tots! You can find them at the Public Market. I always recommend their food to everyone. Get them with extra sour cream.

What is your personal coping mechanism for cold/gray weather? 

The biggest coping mechanism is not treating winter like it’s a burden. I love going on hikes; I have this thing called a Comfy which is basically a giant blanket hoodie, and it’s perfect for winter hiking. You get to see so many cool animals. Plus, we have amazing sunsets here. I’ve lived in Cali and Florida, but nothing beats a Rochester sunset. A good snowball fight is a must! Also try things like sledding, snow mobiling, ice skating, and visiting the Roc Holiday Village.

What's your favorite Rochester memory? 

One of my favorite memories is driving around the country and suburbs, from Churchville to Caledonia to Mendon. Just a serious, beautiful country road trip in one day. I love the smell of the outdoors. We’re very lucky we have beautiful fresh air here and not smog.

What makes Rochester unique? 

We have so many different groups of people and somehow we all fit together. People in Rochester are chameleons. We can have all these super opposite hobbies, jobs, and interests, and yet we still all mesh together.

What's one thing you'd like to see change in Rochester over the next year?

As a business owner in Churchville, I don’t have the same connections that other people have in the city. We need to bring the suburbs into Rochester more and kind of expand that community. The direction we’re heading with cute mom and pop shops is getting back to where we were in early Rochester days, with people coming together. I’d like to see more of that.

What advice would you give to someone who's new to Rochester and wants to get to know the area? 

Hop in my car and let’s go for a ride! I’d make sure they hit up Stevie T’s for a garbage plate and Rohrbach’s for beer. Then go to an Amerks game and pay a visit to Lake Ontario. Hit up those places first, then take a scenic drive!

What advice would you give to up-and-coming business owners? 

After I had been laid off a couple times, I decided to just go for it. I was like, “You know what, I’m taking every single penny I have and I’m going to do this.” You have good weeks and bad weeks. If you have the dream and the goal, failure isn’t an option. This business is my only option; I want to work for myself. When you have that mindset, you can accomplish it.

Also, it’s important to not settle with just one thing. I do photography on the side, I’m a music manager, I do marketing for people, and I have a spray tanning business. I have all these side projects and Rochester allows me to do that.