Depew man's invention puts innovation on the table (2024)

About 15 years ago, Steve Landahl was selling advertising for Verizon Yellow Pages when he saw a television screen's reflection on a metal napkin holder and got an idea.

Why not put digital advertising on tabletop devices at restaurants?

Now, he's making it happen with Digital Table Advertising, which incorporates digital devices into Bevnap dispensers, napkin holders and condiment holders to display constant digital advertising.

He provides the devices to restaurants free of charge, and shares a cut of the advertising revenue with them.

"The only thing the restaurant's ever required to do is change the batteries," Landahl said.

The devices use the restaurant's Wi-Fi for about one minute each morning when the day's advertising is updated. Advertisers pay for 30-second blocks of advertising, which repeat every hour.

"They basically are right in front of customers when they're waiting for their food and drink," he said.

Restaurants get to add three minutes of their own advertising per hour, which can include a QR-code for a menu. The company also donates two minutes per hour to charity. In June, that will include an advertisem*nt for Friends of Night People.

The devices do not process payments or deliver bills.

"We don't want it to take away from people's dining experiences out there," Landahl said. "I have friends that are in the restaurant business, and they like having people check out with the waiters themselves."

For similar reasons, Landahl did not want advertisem*nts to have video or sound.

"I just wanted it to be basically static billboard ads where, if you see something, you want to react, you can scan a QR code and take action immediately– sign up to have an appointment scheduled or a test drive right there," he said.

The venture kicked off this month with more than 400 units installed in 21 restaurants, including Anchor Bar on Maple Road in Amherst, Wingnutz in Amherst and the Grill at the Dome in the Town of Tonawanda.

Digital Table's five employees put the units together in a warehouse in West Seneca, and Landahl sells the associated advertising full time. The units cost about $300 to produce.

Landahl hopes the money restaurants can bring in from the devices will help offset money struggles set off first by Covid-19, then by higher labor costs and now by inflation.

"A lot has happened in the restaurant industry that's causing a lot more money to go out the window, as opposed to coming in," he said.

Half-Baked to open in Elmwood Village

Half-Baked Cookies, a popular bake shop known for its thick, gooey cookies, is planning to open a third shop in the Elmwood Village.

The shop will be located on the ground floor of the Pardee, Ellicott Development's five-story building at 451 Elmwood Ave., in the former Billionaire Creamery. In addition to its six-ounce cookies, which come in a changing mix of specialty and classic flavors, the store will sell Perry's Ice Cream.

Owner Angela Snediker started the business in her Gasport home, then in Scripts Cafe in Lockport. In 2021, she opened Half Baked Cafe on Day Road in Lockport, then Half-Baked Cookies on Sheridan Drive in Williamsville in August.

Second Chic opens low-price outlet

Second Chic, a consignment shop with locations in Williamsville and the Elmwood Village, has opened an outlet store at 1871 Elmwood Ave. near Hertel Avenue.

The shop sells clothing and accessories priced from $5 to $25. Its inventory is made up of items that haven't sold at the company's other two locations.

Whatever doesn't sell at the outlet is donated to Clara's Closet, a charity that serves refugees and people with low incomes.

Two new cycleboat concepts coming to Lake Erie

Brandon Bova, owner of Buffalo Cycleboats, will launch two new pedal-powered party boats this summer.

The custom-built Buffalo Wave Wagon is inspired by Bills Mafia tailgating and is wrapped in red, white and blue Zubaz print. It carries up to 25 people for a two-hour tour through the Buffalo River, Buffalo Harbor and Lake Erie.

The Tipsy Tiki Boat is a six-person floating tiki hut-style boat, which takes 75-minute cruises. All trips leave from the docks at 301 Ohio St.

Shop, sip and stroll in East Aurora

A group of businesses in East Aurora have launched a marketing campaign to bring more shoppers into the village on Sundays in the summer.

The Sundays in EA campaign invites consumers to "shop, sip and stroll" the village on Sundays, when businesses are open and the Classic Corner market hosts more than 25 artisan vendors. On the first Sundays of the month, Arts in the Alley hosts more than 20 vendors behind 42 North Brewing Co.

"We need to keep East Aurora on the radar for folks looking for somewhere to go on Sundays," said John Cimperman, founder of 42 North. "(Sundays) tend to be a quieter day in the village. We hope to change that."

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The Buffalo Next team gives you the big picture on the region’s economic revitalization. Email tips tobuffalonext@buffnews.comor reach Buffalo Next Editor David Robinson at 716-849-4435.