Straight from the Archives, new pub set to open on Third Street

Mar. 5—NIAGARA FALLS — Morgan Genovese and Rachel Dorgan are hoping customers at their new pub on Third Street in Niagara Falls will walk in the door and get a real sense of history and place.

Hence the name, Archives Pub, which will feature a mix of 12 domestic and imported beers on tap, cocktails and — thanks to unique items donated by people from the Falls — a sense of nostalgia on every wall.

"Our goal is to kind of make a space to bring locals all of their memories and pieces to a place where they can be appreciated by locals and tourists or transplants like us," Genovese said.

In preparation for last week's opening of Archives Pub, located at 439 Third St. inside space previously occupied by Halligan's Tap Room, Genovese and Dorgan said they talked with many locals who visited their other Third Street establishment, Gold Bar, which is right next door.

Those talks contributed to their decision to give "Archives Pub" a nostalgic theme, which has been greatly enhanced by donations from Falls residents who have been bringing them unique items, including Falls-centric photos, newspaper clippings and old travel lodge maps, to hang on the pub walls.

"The goal is to just fill our walls with kind of the forgotten pieces of day-to-day life in Niagara Falls," Genovese said.

"I hope that they look around and they just feel the warmth, the love and the energy," Dorgan added.

Genovese, 25, grew up in Fredonia. She found her way to Niagara Falls while she was a student at Niagara University where she played soccer and softball while earning a bachelor's degree in human resources in 2019 and a master's degree in business administration in marketing in 2021.

Dorgan, 26, grew up in Rochester. She also took an interest in opening a business in the Falls while studying hotel and restaurant management at NU and working in various hotels and tourism-related businesses in the city.

The pair have successfully operated Gold Bar since December of 2021. When the opportunity arose to expand into an available space next door, they grabbed it. Genovese and Dorgan's efforts to redesign and reopen the space were supported with a city grant for women and minority owned businesses.

The entrepreneurs said their efforts were also helped by other business owners in the city, including Shawn Weber, owner of Wine on Third, and Cataract Development, a local firm that owns rental properties, including the Archives Pub location, on Third Street.

While over the years the Falls has developed a reputation as being a less-than-business friendly place void of opportunities, Dorgan said she has an exact view of the community.

In addition to be a tourism destination recognized around the globe, Dorgan said the city is filled with a lot of available and affordable space for rent or to purchase where hard-working entrepreneurs can live out their dreams.

"It's kind of a blank canvas," she said. "I don't look at it as a city in a depressed state. I'm not a millionaire and I have 20 storefronts to choose from at a rent I can afford."

At Archives, customers can enjoy 12 beers on tap and a variety of cocktails. The pub does not have a full kitchen, although it does have a fryer allowing the owners to serve a limited menu of food items.

One of the specialties of both Gold Bar and Archives Pub: Late-night, early morning operating hours. Both bars stay open until closing time at 2 a.m.

"We are one of the very very few places that are committed to being open late," Genovese said. "That's something we wanted to add, is to be an entertainment source and to be a hub where people can come out and socialize."

Genovese and Dorgan will officially open Archives Pub with a brief ceremony and a toast starting at 5 p.m. Thursday. Moving forward, the pub will be open from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through May. In the summer, the owners plan to open at noon.

On Friday evening, as part of the owners' opening festivities, Archives Pub will host an after party for the Art of Beer, which will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center on Pine Avenue.

For more information about Gold Bar or Archives Pub, follow them on Facebook and Instragram.