Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Perhaps no one moment signified the role that Terrapin Station has played not only for Hertel Avenue but for the region.
That moment: Aug. 9, 1995 - the day Grateful Dead founder Jerry Garcia died.
That night hundreds of Dead Heads made their way to Terrapin Station for a communal vigil.
Since its opening in 1988, Terrapin Station carved out a niche as the unofficial retailing headquarters for all things Grateful Dead - and other jam bands such as Phish.
It remains the region's jam band/all things Grateful Dead headquarters,
At the same, Terrapin's then-retailing cousin - the neighboring Virgil Avenue Tobacconist became not only destination for those looking for high end cigars, rare cigarette brands and pipe tobacco - it was a communal location where customers gathered to watch Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres games, or just hang out.
Virgil Avenue Tobacconist opened in 1992.
And, now, in a coincidence fueled by a desire to retire and the changing small business landscape the respective owners of Terrapin Station (Barry Cohen) and Virgil Avenue Tobacconist (Bob Colasanti) have put the neighboring and retailing sibling on the market.
The asking price for both is open to negotiation both Cohen and Colasanti said.
Thus far, there has been some very preliminary discussions with potential buyers, the respective owners say.
"Not time to call the lawyers or accountants," Cohen said.
Both Terrapin Station and Virgil Avenue Tobacconist are viable businesses with a healthy and steady stream of loyal customers.
"In some cases, I've developed friendship that goes back 30 or 40 years," Colasanti said.
Colasanti, 70, said he wants to retire but remains open to returning to Virgil Avenue on a part time basis to work with longstanding customers.
"I don't want to totally abandon them, or Hertel Avenue," Colasanti said.
Cohen has the same sentimental feeling.
"There is a lot of history here," Cohen said.
Both Terrapin Station and Virgil Avenue Tobacconist are turnkey operations where a new owner can step in and move forward with two legacy businesses that define Hertel Avenue's home for cool, if not funky, locally-owned, small retail and restaurant operations.
"Who knew we would be so successful," Colasanti said. "In a way, it became overwhelming - but in a good way."