Better Days, Tavern, Pub & Eatery, Bar and Grill, 48 of Wellsville will be laid to rest after almost five decades on Main Street Wellsville NY.
Born in 1977 to Linda Blank and Ernie Rositzke, the 166 North Main Street watering hole was the former location of popular eateries, “The Kandy Kitchen,” “J & M’s Diner,” and “S&S Restaurant.” Linda and Ernie converted the public house into unique space between two red brick walls. A long, custom-built bar with a vintage Ligonier cooler complimented by Western themes made the place more like a saloon, than a tavern or a pub.
The first chapter in Better Days history was the longest, Linda Blank and Ernie Rositzke didn’t just build the place, they held a daily party for almost 14 years. Many of the future owners of Better Days would be reminded of this “hayday,” especially in pre-1981 when the legal age was 18. Linda and Ernie set a standard for success with great food and fun-filled nights. Linda managed the kitchen, Ernie ran the bar and their signature products like “Stout Burgers,” and “Purple MotherF*@$ers” remained Wellsville staples for decades. Artifacts from that time period lasted throughout Better Days life like the iconic Ligonier cooler behind the bar and church pew style booths.
Linda and Ernie sold the establishment in 1990 to Lisa Feinberg-Duckett who carried the tradition until 2001. Lisa maintained the family atmosphere with a cast of characters and local regulars that resembled the hit TV show at the time, “Cheers.” During her tenure Lisa cemented Better Days reputation for superior chicken wings, a cornerstone of the business until the last day. Her menu brought more dinner style items like steaks and seafood, Lisa prepared some top notch meals. She also faced a new legal reality as DWI awareness and threshold’s for legal peril changed. Lisa also navigated the public house through a major economic downturn as major employers like “Air-Preheater” and “Turbodyne,” rapidly downsized. In 1995, Lisa hired Wellsville guys Stephen Harris and Marty Benz to tend bar, not knowing she would sell Better Days to Harris just six years later.
Harris, then living in Baltimore MD, had found a successful career with Dell Computer and partnered with his younger cousin Andrew in 2001 to buy 166 North Main Street. The cousins, both still under thirty years old, brought a big family network and youthful optimism to the established business. Operating as Better Days Pub & Eatery, the new owners started this chapter in the wake of 9/11 and the beginning of the “War on Terror.” Indoor smoking was still permitted, the Wellsville Daily Reporter still printed, and Ralph Wilson owned the Buffalo Bills. This era of Better Days featured a full lunch and dinner menu with homemade soups and daily specials from the family recipe vault. A key ingredient to the success was the moms, Ann and Jeanne, who made the phrase “mom’s home cookin'” a genuine part of the menu. The nightlife featured regular live music, the coolest bartenders, and even street parties.
In 2012, The Harris family chapter ended and the building and business sold to Larry Wienhauer who ushered in the sports bar era of Better Days. Larry kept much of the operation similar to former owners and added multiple large screen televisions and a general theme that attracted sports fans. Better Days Sports Bar also served the same great pub grub and a full kitchen menu. Larry and his team kept local bands busy performing on the weekends and continued the street party tradition.
Larry moved on and sold the business and property to David Truax in late 2019. This final era was the start of Better Days Bar and Grill. Little did Truax know but COVID 19 was just months away and the world wouldn’t ever be the same, especially small-town bars like Better Days. A testament to the strength of the brand, the establishment survived the pandemic. Mandatory closures, social distancing, required face masks, and a general public who didn’t feel safe in small public spaces were a daily reality. Despite the challenges Better Days even expanded into the building next door(the former Wellsville Travel,) and brought pool tables and more seating. This era of 166 North Main Street also survived economic pressures in the post-COVID world, primarily inflation. Truax and his crew continued to serve the community until a decision was made in 2024 put Better Days up for sale.
In the summer of 2025 the LC Whitford Company, Better Days next door neighbor found themselves in need of more space to continue the company’s historic growth. Without a buyer in sight, Truax accepted the offer to sell the property to the LC Whitford Company. According to Brad Whitford, President of LCW, they will begin major renovations of the first and second floor to be used for office space.
“Hey myself, my father Chan, and my brother Daniel enjoyed Better Days more than anybody. Thousands of lunches and happy hours over the decades make this bittersweet for us. We hope to fill that space with important and good paying jobs that will benefit the local economy for years to come,” Whitford explained.
Last weekend, longtime friends gathered at Better Days for one last taste of small town nightlife between two red brick walls. For almost five decades Wellsville filled that twenty-five-foot-wide space to meet friends, go on a first date, celebrate, mourn, and much more.
Better Days passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones and will be dearly missed.
Surviving are former custodians to the legacy: Linda Blank and Ernie Rositzke, Lisa Feinberg-Duckett, Andrew and Stephen Harris, Larry Weinhauer, and David Truax. Better Days was predeceased by former owner Steve Duckett and a host of long-time staff members and regular customers.
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