Central Avenue in Rochester is becoming a go-to destination for home design inspiration.

There are now two upscale retail furniture stores located on a stretch of Central Avenue between St. Paul Street and Clinton Avenue, near the train station. DL Home & Garden and City Living Essentials have dozens of vignettes, accessories, rugs, lighting, and gifts for sale.

Bob Breissinger and Brian Coutu spent years transforming the old building that was once a hotel in the 1880s into a designer showroom.

“It was a lot of hard work over the years but we’ve transformed a section of the city," said Breissinger. "We go to all the trade shows in New York, Chicago, and Atlanta.”

Their newest store, City Living Essentials, located right across the street from Dl Home, was a former print shop. They renovated and decorated it in a loft-like feel. The vibe is urban chic.

"Part of embracing the city is embracing its history. Being able to transform buildings that were shuttered up and not really viable business and transforming them into a jewel of the retail downtown is what I am very proud of," Coutu said

DL Home & Garden and City Living Essentials are open Monday through Saturday.