The South Wedge is a neighborhood that I, regretfully, didn’t really discover until the summer between my senior and Take 5 year. It’s especially shocking continuing it’s only about a 30-minute walk from campus, and the orange line drops off in multiple locations there. It’s a beautiful location, in any season – and I’ve seen it in all of them. So here’s a little bit of an introduction before you set off (ironically in a bit of a Northeast direction) about all the hidden treasures this neighborhood has to offer.
Hedonist Artisan Ice Cream and Chocolates
Hedonist’s ice cream is probably the most famous place in the South Wedge. Their ice cream cones are delicious enough that I’ve (on more than one occasion) thought about going there just to buy them as my dessert, sans any ice cream at all. But what I think fewer people know is that Hedonist is actually two shops, connected by an internal door. One sides holds their ice cream parlor, as well as art prints and shirts I’ve seen quite students wearing around, and the other half is the chocolate emporium of your dreams. The chocolate side sells gift sets, hot chocolate, and individual sweets that you can buy piecemeal.
This small, Spanish-speaking, independent bookstore is one of my favorite places in the South Wedge. Sure, Barnes and Noble is closer, but you really just can’t beat the individual attention, dedication, and passion that is put into a small business like this.
I’ve used it to get all of the books I needed for my summer internship (I worked with a professor), and I can’t stop going back. They will special-order pretty much every book you could ever think of, at no extra cost. They have ever changing displays, combining both popular books I know and love, new releases, and ones I’ve never heard. Sometimes, they even offer Spanish language classes!
I’m someone who really loves all kinds of artistic endeavors – I sew, I knit, I draw, I do bullet-journaling when I can find the time….and Little Button Craft was basically made for people like me. They have yarn, fabric, notebooks, and they even have local craftspeople come in to teach classes like calligraphy or watercolor. They’re currently hosting a Virtual Fiber Night on Zoom, weekly on Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m. EST. It’s a place where people can ask questions about projects, look for pattern advice, or just simply sit and have other people to craft with.
If you aren’t an artsy kind of person, but you’re looking for the perfect gift in Rochester, I would suggest you stop in as well. There’s plenty of gorgeous prints, jewelry, mugs, and other stunning (and surprisingly inexpensive) items that would make great gifts for visiting family or friends.
Hopefully you pick up on the musical allude! If not, no worries, all that’s required for this shop is a love of all things retro. They are a vintage clothing and accessories store, located on one of the side streets in South Wedge. It’s a small place, but full to bursting with unique jewelry, dresses, suitcases, cowboy boots, and more!
Their prices can be a little steep, but a little digging can yield some incredible surprises. My favorite steel-toed combat boots came from here, and they were only $20!! (They were also missing the laces but who cares?) They’re an LGBTQ+ run store, and the workers there are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, even if you don’t end up buying anything.
I’m going to be honest here – I still have a record player at home. If I’ve being ever more honest, mostly my mom and I use it to play records of opera. But if you’ve got more of an indie, punk, metal, or experimental taste, or if you just love the idea of browsing through old records, Needle Drop is a great place to spend an afternoon. They have record fairs and shows that are slowly but surely coming back as the pandemic recedes. And if you’re interesting in selling or trading records, they do that too.
Abundance is a local grocery store that puts emphasis on providing local, organic, and/or sustainable food for the Rochester community. They have plenty of ways for you to save on groceries there – from ordering in bulk, to weekly special deals, to matching funds for SNAP recipients.
If you’re really dedicated, you can become a shareholder, and for the cost of one share ($100 for one year) you get special perks like discounts on popular items, as well as a say in how the co-op is run and what they offer. But it doesn’t matter if you’re a shareholder in the co-op or not, their store is open to all. As they put it on their website, “Anyone and everyone can shop the co-op – and if you’ve never been, what are you waiting for?
Frederick Douglass Community Library
Right on the edge of the South Wedge is the closest local library to the U of R campus. I actually volunteered at this library for my Wilson Day community service work. Since then, I’ve gone back time and again, to get books that the university library doesn’t have, or are checked out. It’s such a nice place to study if you have the chance to get off campus. It’s covered in stunning murals of Rochester legend Frederick Douglass, and the librarians are so nice. I know the library resources on campus are fantastic, but if you ever can’t find exactly what you need, or just want a change of scenery from Rush Rhees, definitely recommend coming here.
Free Library and Hangout Spot
So this is the only place on my list that doesn’t have a website, because it’s not a restaurant or a small business – it’s a tiny little green space located between Hedonist and Little Button Craft that is the perfect space to enjoy ice cream, lunch, coffee, or just to sit and relax. They have a Little Free Library if you want something to read, and beautiful murals just like the ones at the library.