Smith Housewares and Restaurant Supply: Shop Mom and Pop

I’ve had a gift certificate to Smith Housewares and Restaurant Supply since LAST Christmas.

It was tucked away in a drawer for a rainy or snowy day. It doesn’t have an expiration date, but it has been almost a year. That’s as good an excuse as any to take a spin through the store.

For the uninitiated, Smith Housewares is a fifth-generation family business located in an 1840’s Erie Canal-era building in the heart of downtown Syracuse.

It’s not as glossy as the gourmet cookware at the mall, but Smith’s is a magnet for both chefs and home cooks in the market for kitchen essentials and shiny, new culinary toys. The store features a rambling two floors of retail space (and some 18,000 items in the warehouse, according to the website).

You’ll find everything from cookie cutters (a whole wall of them!) to cutlery, cookware, barware, bakeware, small appliances, beer, winemaking and canning supplies, the Hyman Smith Coffee Roastery – and much more.

All your favorite kitchen/cooking brands are there: Le Creuset, KitchenAid, All-Clad, Cuisinart, Wusthof, Lodge Cast Iron.

In the words of one local baking professional: “It’s like a culinary Disneyland.’’

But back to that gift certificate: How to cash it in?

On a mega chafing dish for our next party? Whoa!

Or a Fondue Fun for Two set? Cute. But we don’t do fondue.

Or a ceramic pie plate in a favorite color? Sweet.

On a potato ricer and assorted other gadgets/utensils? No. So many gizmos, such little kitchen space.

On a pair of AireGourmet made in the USA insulated baking sheets?

That’s the ticket! A couple of our baking sheets date to 1980-something. They’ve served us well but are showing their age. These promise to be scratch-resistant, dishwasher safe and “built to last a lifetime.”

A lifetime? I don’t know.  But they’ll get a good workout over the holiday season, that’s for certain. Thank you, Eileen and Dave.

Smith Housewares and Restaurant Supply is at 500 Erie Boulevard East,  Syracuse (and 170 Court St., Watertown). Information: 315-474-8731.

Comments

[Eileen Blanding]

You are welcome!! I love that store! xxoo. Eileen and Dave

[Joe Mezzanini]

We forgot all about this store. It'd be a great short roadtrip. Thanks for the post.