Over the past couple of weeks in our new office, we’ve grown quite fond of our location. And now that we’ve had some time to get situated, we think we know the place pretty well. Maybe not quite like the back of our hand, but definitely like the back of a friendly acquaintance’s hand. We don’t know every scar and crease, but we could point you in the general direction of the fingers. So in honor of our move and our new home, we’ve assembled this guide to Orchard Park to highlight some of our favorite spots so far and introduce you to the neighborhood.

Local History

The first man to settle down and hang his hat in Orchard Park was Didymus C. Kinney. He and his wife, Phebe, rolled into town in 1803 and built the home that is today a museum of OP history. Quaker settlers followed suit one year later. The town officially separated from Hamburg in 1850 and was briefly known as “Ellicott” for Joseph Ellicott (Dutch guy, agent of the Holland Land Company, city planner) before becoming “East Hamburgh.” It wasn’t until 1934 that it was renamed Orchard Park after its principal settlement.

Today, it’s a quaint and quiet suburb of Buffalo, featuring a charming village with shops and restaurants, family homes, an ample amount of parking space and an unremarkable amount of birds.

Where to Eat

Gourmet flatbreads and standard Italian fare make Mangia a local favorite. OP Social Tap & Grill prides itself on a comprehensive beer list, replete with local brews, and even offers after-work happy hour specials. For breakfast, lunch and a treat when you need it, stop by Kaylena Marie’s Bakery. For raccoons, I imagine the bakery’s dumpster is probably a treasure trove.

Where to Shop

 For trendy décor and Buffalo-themed gifts, there’s Sunshine and Bluebirds. For women’s clothing and accessories, there’s Research and Design just behind S&B. And of course, for dad wares, there’s Arthur’s True Value Hardware. If there’s one things dads unanimously agree on, it’s that you just can’t beat a true value.

Where to Run into Someone You Went to High School With

Spot Coffee or the parking lot of the stadium formerly known as Ralph Wilson Stadium but today known as New Era Field—home of the Buffalo Bills. Tailgating, possibly launching him or herself onto a folding table. Good-natured, pre-game tomfoolery doesn’t discriminate based on gender.

Where to Avoid Getting Judged for Eating a Whole Rotisserie Chicken with Your Hands

The Quilted Squirrel is a safe space for anyone who ever finds themselves in this situation.

Where to Pretend It’s Your Birthday in Order to Get Free Drinks  

Subway.

Where to Wrap Yourself in Cling Film and Roll Down a Hill

Orchard Park is pretty flat, and the whole point of wrapping oneself in cling film and rolling down a hill is to gain maximum velocity so you can run back up the hill and yell “did you see how fast I rolled down that hill whilst wrapped in cling film?” at which point your friends will say “we can’t believe how fast you rolled down that hill after wrapping yourself in cling film!” Then you’ll all do a thumbs up and get milkshakes while “Send Me on My Way” by Rusted Root plays in the background. But, like we said, there aren’t a lot of great cling film rolling hills in Orchard Park.

Where to Go for the Most Creative Marketing and Advertising in Western NY

Orchard Park Middle School. Go to the principal’s office and ask for Jimmy. They’ll know who you mean. Jimmy’s a wiz-kid. He’s a content and email marketing pro with a comprehensive knowledge of the most common CMS platforms. He also has a B.S. in Youtube and Madden NFL 20 (pretty incredible because that, like, just came out).

If Jimmy the Marketing Wiz-Kid is booked, we’re just up the street. We’ve got ping pong, a French press (pinkies up, please) and exposed brick—all the aesthetics of a fully functioning, late-hipster hangout/marketing agency/”thought incubator” plus a cardboard cut-out of Tim Kaine.

If you’re ever in the neighborhood, come on by.