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Sports apparel store Erin's Way has opened for the season in the old community room near the mall's food court. Owner Jay Smith said it'll be open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays through Sundays until mid-November to Thanksgiving, when the store will widen its hours.

Smith, of Rome, operates the business in other locations like Watkins Glen and, during Buffalo Bills games, Ralph Wilson Stadium. He said he'll have six Erin's Way stores open this holiday season. The Fingerlakes Mall location, which he's been opening seasonally for about five years, will likely close Jan. 1 or shortly thereafter.

"It's a nice mall, a very nice little mall," he said. "Good people, and a great  (Rene Patterson)."

The mall's marketing manager, Vin Gleason, also announced that it will be the site of a second location of the family-owned Apple Station Winery, based in Union Springs. Opening Aug. 4 in the cafe area once occupied by the Riverbend and Bean Counter coffee businesses, the winery's satellite will serve its apple wines, wine slushies and wine ice cream. Other items, such as doughnuts and cider during the fall, will also be available there.

Kathy Wintamute, who started the Apple Station's orchard 30 years ago with her husband, Bob, said they hope the mall move will increase the Cross Road winery's visibility. It will be open during mall hours Fridays and Saturdays, as well as during select mall events on other days of the week.

On the other end of the mall, Savvy Mom's Consignment owners Nicole and Jamie Hoy have set up a permanent storefront in the former space. The new boutique offers 50-percent consignment as opposed to the 70-percent rate offered during Savvy Mom's sales events at the mall, which the Hoys will continue to hold quarterly in the former Deb Shops space. The next sale takes place there Friday through Sunday, Aug. 12 through 14.

The boutique, which is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays, sells clothing, children's toys and more.

Another new development at Fingerlakes Mall is not a store, but a library — and a tribute.

The Brian Vitale Library has opened in the mall's new community room, which was formerly . Honoring an Auburn boy who died in 2010 at the age of 2, the library holds more than 3,000 books, two-thirds of which were donated by St. Joseph School. Most are children's books, and can be withdrawn at will. Donations are also accepted.

The room will also function as the mall's new party space, which can be rented for $100 for three hours. It seats up to about 85 people.

Gleason, who wanted to honor Brian at the mall and had been discussing such a gesture with his mother, Julie, said the space's opening gave him the opportunity. So the mall bought the furniture, he laid the carpets and his wife, Jamie, built the bookshelves, he said.

"It's been on the backburner for a long time," he said of the tribute to Brian. "I really wanted to do the best I could under the constraints."