EBaum's World entrepreneur plans revitalization in Village of Webster
By: Elizabeth Harness
Updated: September 18, 2007
Neil Bauman, father of internet entrepreneur Eric Bauman, says he and his son have big plans for main street in the Village of Webster.
“It's going to be a labor of love,” says Bauman whose son created, and recently sold the popular “EBaum’s World” website. “We’re going to develop the empty lot that's here and try to bring this end of Main Street, to the level that we think it should be.“
The Baumans created a real estate company four years ago called “EBaum’s Real Estate Development”. The company has been examining a particular section of East Main Street in the Village of Webster for purchase over the last year. The parcel runs from the Village Chamber of Commerce to the former Webster Grange and backs up to Kircher Park.
“We have the where-with-all, we have the desire and...due to our recent good fortune, we have the money,” says Bauman.
Compared to the sale of EBaum's world at more than $50 million dollars earlier this year, it will only take about three to four million dollars to develop the section of East Main Street.
“We're immediately going to open up an American-style steakhouse restaurant in the Village, not like a chain,” says Bauman. The steakhouse will replace Mitch Reality which already moved to a new location earlier in the year. EBaum’s Real Estate is in the finally stages of the purchasing the entire parcel for $1 million. If all goes as planned, Bauman expects to begin revitalizing the area in Spring 2008.
“First place is we're going to put the restaurant in up here and then we're going to create a lot of little walk around restaurants, sushi, Streppa's Bistro, a steakhouse, a Chinese restaurant,” says Bauman.
The existing businesses include restaurants, a bakery, dry cleaners and quilting shop will stay. Only the Village Chamber of Commerce has decided to move its location. Bauman says the empty lot next to the former Webster Grange could become a bank location.
“We've had expressed interest from several banks that want to have, not me personally, but the Village has been contacted by several regional banks which think it would be an ideal location.”
As to whether the EBaum's logo will show up on any of the new trimmings remains to be seen.
