How One-Legged Boxes Hold up a Community

By: Matthew Barton

Walking through the West Side of Buffalo is an experience like no other. Smells of freshly brewed coffee float out of cafes as lone musicians strum in parks, directing the tempo of your day. And no, that’s not a skunk.

If you look a bit closer into the neighborhoods, you’ll notice small, one-legged boxes standing tall outside of dozens of homes. These boxes aren’t for mail or for receiving Amazon packages. 

These boxes are for books, lots and lots of books.

They’re called little free libraries, and they’ve been popping up all around the West Side of Buffalo and the world. There are more than 20 of these libraries on the West Side that are registered with the official non-profit organization Little Free Library. Each library provides a unique physical space for readers to explore new titles and share their favorites with others.

In front of Erin MacVittie's home, a miniature schoolhouse-like library sits jam-packed with books. MacVittie has been a steward for about four years, and as a teacher in Buffalo, she sees how children can struggle with accessibility.

“I just kind of liked the idea that it could be a library that’s in the kids' immediate neighborhood,” MacVittie said. “They don’t need to worry about being unsafe walking long distances to a library.”

The MacVittie family loves to watch the books get dispersed into the community after stocking the library with their favorite titles. They also get front-row seats to all of the pups around the neighborhood lapping up water from the bowl at the base of the library.

In an increasingly digital world, these libraries provide a space for people to use their senses when selecting a book. Look at the cover, flip through the pages, and find something that they may not have expected.

“It’s so important because this is where imagination and creative processes come through,” MacVittie said. “Not that some TV shows can’t do that for you. But I think most of the TV shows are meant for vegging out, which sometimes we all need to do.”

A couple of blocks away, Jennifer Yund proudly displays her Time And Relative Dimension in Space, or TARDIS, library. The design is drawn from the TV show “Doctor Who” and has become a must-see spectacle on the West Side.

Yund is a teacher, book lover, and of course a huge “Doctor Who” fan. She became a steward about two years ago, and it all started when she and her father built the vibrant blue library.

“When I was younger, my dad was always working on the house, and I wasn’t interested. So now I’m older, it’s been cool with the house and this to work with him and have the opportunity,” Yund said. “Seeing this, you know, he’ll always be part of the house.”

Yund created the library because of her love for books, but also because her home became overwhelmed with them. She never expected the library to become overwhelmed too. The community utilized the library so much. People leave books, zines, toys, and even Narcan. 

Yund had to take some books out to make some space for all of the great contributions.

“It’s been a place for people in the neighborhood to get involved and help in other ways,” Yund said. “When I have too many books, I will look for libraries that need books and put books in just to spread the wealth.”

These little libraries have spawned inclusive mini-communities in larger communities like the West Side, making it not only fun for people like MacVittie and Yund to host the libraries on their lawn, but also for any curious passerby.

For the authors whose books reside inside the libraries, seeing their name and title feels like a full-circle moment. Andrew Harwell is a children's author, and as a kid, he loved digging into any “Goosebumps” books he could find. “The Spider Ring” is Harwell’s own spooky story, and he finds it “extremely cool” that readers can find it for free in someone's front yard.

“You know as you pick it up, that the object in your hands connects you to a real person who lives nearby, whether it's the kid who read it before you or the grown-up who put a sticker on it and put it out for you to find,” Harwell said. “Books can instill a sense of community in that way, and in this digital age, I personally think feeling connected to one's local community is a lifeline.”

Lloyd Taco Factory hosts “Lloyd-O-Ween”

This year, Halloween happened to fall on a Saturday, prompting many Buffalo establishments to throw their own bashes. Lloyd Taco Factory joined its surrounding Elmwood Avenue hotspots in celebrating the spookiest night of the year. “The food was amazing, the costumes were amazing, and the atmosphere was still the best part,” said Emma Fitzpatrick, an attendee of  “Lloyd-O-Ween.” Nothing beats a combo of food, drinks, and Halloween fun, especially on Buffalo’s West Side.

By: Lucas Lyon

BIFF Brings in Buffalo's Best

By: Matthew Scott

John Fink (Left), artistic director and co-head of the Buffalo International Film Festival (BIFF), 

listens to local directors during a Q&A at Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center on Oct. 12.

James Werick (Center), director of “Spiritual Not Religious,” and Boris R. Zilberman (Right), 

director of “Geno’s A Genie,” discussed how they made their short films with their friends in the cast. Both short films had their world premieres at BIFF, and the audience applauded the directors' work.

West Side Bazaar Helps Buffalo Entrepreneurs Build Their Businesses

By: Myles Samuel

Nathalie Zola Malu, owner of Malkia & Co. Gourmets

The smell of Congolese dishes, Caribbean specialties and other international foods fills West Side Bazaar on Niagara Street, where customers arrive to eat, talk and experience cultures from around the world. 

Behind the marketplace’s food vendors, entrepreneurs are building businesses of their own to grow beyond the Bazaar.

Located at 1432 Niagara St., the West Side Bazaar is operated by the Westminster Economic Development Initiative, also known as WEDI. The business incubator helps provide entrepreneurs with affordable space, resources and guidance as they work toward eventually operating on their own.

The Bazaar combines a low-cost place to launch a business with training and support designed to help entrepreneurs overcome financial, cultural and language barriers by allowing business owners to test their ideas and build a customer base before operating on their own.

Andre Nunn, operations manager at West Side Bazaar, said the organization offers more than a traditional food court.

“We teach business literacy,” Nunn said. "We do have different programs for scholarships or micro-loans.”

According to Nunn, entrepreneurs also receive assistance with marketing, social media and branding. The Bazaar works with business owners from different cultural backgrounds, some of whom face language barriers as they establish their businesses.

The goal is to give entrepreneurs the experience and resources they need to become successful outside the Bazaar.

For Nathalie Zola Malu, owner of Malkia & Co. Gourmets, the opportunity helped her turn her passion for cooking into a business.

Malu, who is originally from the Republic of Congo, previously worked as a pharmacist before pursuing her interest in food. She said opening a restaurant on her own would have required a much larger financial investment.

“This place was perfect for me because I don’t have to invest a lot of money,” Malu said. “Every furniture was always here. I have just to buy my food, bring my pots, that’s all.”

Having an established location also allowed Malu to introduce Congolese cuisine to customers who may not have been familiar with it.

She said one of her biggest challenges was getting people to try dishes they had never tasted before. To get past that challenge, she offered customers samples and explained what the food actually is.

For Malu, the Bazaar has provided an opportunity to see how her business performs without taking on the same financial risks she would face opening an independent restaurant.

She described the experience as a “trampoline” that could help her reach her larger business goals.

Nunn said preparing entrepreneurs for the next step is a major part of the incubator’s mission. He talked about how the organization continues to offer support as business owners prepare to move into their own locations.

That support can also continue after businesses leave the Bazaar.

While entrepreneurs work toward those goals, the marketplace brings customers from different ethnic groups and backgrounds together.

Bridgit Hayes, a bartender at West Side Bazaar for nearly a year, said she enjoys the community atmosphere and the variety of people who visit.

She said some customers return every week, while others are visiting Buffalo and want to experience the different food options available.

“We have a fair amount of regulars here at the bar who come every week,” Hayes said.

Hayes said the Bazaar also provides a place for families and friends to spend time together while experiencing different cultures.

For business owners like Malu, the goal is to eventually grow beyond the marketplace.

“My goal is to have different locations in Western New York,” Malu said.

She hopes to expand her restaurant throughout the region and introduce more people to Congolese cuisine.

For now, West Side Bazaar is helping entrepreneurs like Malu take steps toward making those plans a reality.

Audio: Hear West Side Bazaar Operations Manager Andre Nunn explains how the incubator helps entrepreneurs build their businesses.

 Nightmare Wharf Brings Entertaining New Fundraiser to Naval Park

By: Ella Wittman

Buffalo Naval Park introduced a brand-new haunted attraction this Halloween, running from Oct. 2 to Nov. 1. President and CEO Brian Luallen explained how Nightmare Wharf got started and what makes it unique.

The attraction features movie-quality makeup, costumes and masks, with a team of artists working behind the scenes to bring its characters to life. Head of makeup and costumes Mike McCoy also shared what goes into preparing the actors and creating the looks guests see throughout the haunted houses.

Nightmare Wharf offers a new way to raise funds for the Naval Park, supporting its educational programs and the preservation of its historic ships.

While creating a scary experience for visitors, the team remains respectful of the ship’s history and the stories of the sailors and soldiers who served on it.

As Buffalo Naval Park introduces this new Halloween attraction, Luallen sees a future for it and hopes it will continue for many years to come.

Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium brings Halloween spirit to Buffalo State campus

By: Lucas Lyon

Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium director Kevin Williams speaks on “Fright Lights,” the planetarium's annual Halloween laser show inside the Science & Mathematics Complex at Buffalo State University. 

Through the use of familiar Halloween tunes and classic horror movie soundtracks, Williams says the  show captures the Halloween spirit in a variety of ways, also ensuring that it isn’t too scary for the young ones. “Come and enjoy it,” said Williams. 

The show runs every Saturday until Halloween.

 Spooky Porches of Allentown Returns for Second Year

By: Adrianna Miller

The Allentown Association is hosting its second annual Spooky Porches event for the 2026 Halloween season. 

Jodi Kavanaugh and Will Tanberg stand outside their historic Allentown home, which they bought in September, 2025. 

They are participating in the contest for the first time. Kavanaugh said the inspiration for their decorations came from her sister-in-law, who visited from Maryland and thought she heard noises in the attic. “That’s why we have a doll up there, because she named our ‘ghost’ Gladis,” Kavanaugh said. 

Residents could decorate their porches and register them on the Allentown Association website by Oct. 15 to enter the competition. Voting for the best porch runs from Oct. 17 through 29.