Boasting of several shops, restaurants, coffee houses and bars, Elmwood Village is the perfect spot for those who want to spend the day browsing through goodies, enjoying great food and drink or simply taking in the lively vibe of this activity hub. From shops like Spoiled Rotten and Second Chic to Fern +Arrow and Anna Grace, the shopping hub ensures there is something in store for everyone. The array of designer and secondhand goodies also ensure that people of all tastes and budgets can shop from here. A lot of souvenirs and items for gifting can be found here as well. Don't hesitate to head to any one of the eateries to recharge your batteries after the shopping spree. If you are in the mood to indulge in some retail therapy, then Elmwood Village is your best bet.
Vidler's, an old-fashioned five and dime store, is one of East Aurora's most beloved landmarks. You'll find it by looking for the red and white-striped awnings along the village's historic Main Street. The 15,000-square-foot store, located in four 1890s-era buildings, has original hardwood floors and brass cash registers. It was opened by Robert Vidler Sr. during the Great Depression in the 1930s and continues to be family-owned and operated. You can find pretty much anything here, including unique, hard-to-find items. Choose from old-fashioned penny candy, yarn fabric, craft supplies, house wares, books, toys, books, cards and much more.
Whether it's clothing from local designers or from as far away as Bali, this Allentown shop stocks it for the woman with discerning tastes. The shop's clothing lines are not only comfortable, they're unique. One of the top local designer lines represented here is Flax, created by a woman working out of her farmhouse in Ithaca, NY. Bali's Kusnadi produces individually-styled and cut clothing with Indonesian accents and jewelry. There is a second location in the Village of East Aurora.
In a city known for its ethnic foods, this indoor market has been the place to go shopping for over 100 years. At over 100,000 square feet, the market is one of the largest in the country, featuring 40+ vendors specializing in sought-after German, Polish, and Eastern European comestibles in this neighborhood. If you are hungry for home-made kielbasa, bratwurst, or real Polish ham, this is the place for you. There are also restaurants, bakeries, poultry and candy stands scattered throughout the market.
Located close to numerous hotels, this state-of-the-art mall offers complete entertainment with more than 200 upscale stores, restaurants, specialty boutiques, a food court and a 12-screen movie house. It prides itself on its customer service, attention to detail and cleanliness.
A small shop opened for business in 1927; today it is the largest independent bookstore in western New York. The location has changed over the years, but the extensive collection of books and first-class service has remained constant. The store sells or will order just about any title. On the shelves you will find a wide selection of books about the Niagara region and western New York. The store includes three floors with colorfully painted walls and local artwork. Nearby attractions include Schoellkopf Geological Museum.
This company was started in 1920 by Ehrhardt Koch in Buffalo, NY and named New Era Cap Company in 1922. In the 1930's they got into the sports cap business and by the 1940's were providing caps to a variety of sports teams. In the 1950's they were the only independent supplier to professional teams. By the 1990's they had the first exclusive license with Major League Baseball. They are the largest growing headwear manufacturer in the United States, and the store in Buffalo, which is one of their flagship stores, has a huge selection of caps. They also have stores in New York City, Atlanta, Toronto, and London. -Christine A. Smyczynski
With more than 60 stores located along Main street in the Buffalo Place area of the city, this mall is the only one in the downtown district. The mall, with MJ Carroll and Hit or Miss as anchors, has the advantage of being in the free fare zone for Metro Rail. It is also close to numerous downtown attractions and accommodations such as the Theater District and the Hyatt Regency.The mall also features public art exhibits from the CEPA Gallery.
This unique store/gallery promotes printing and book-related art. They carry bookbinding supplies, paper for letter press printing and decorative art stationery that comes from all over the world. They also carry a selection of books, cards, and posters. Lectures and workshops about printmaking, papermaking, illustration, design, writing, and binding are also on offer. Participation in the International Edible Book Festival, which is held around April 1, is an annual event at this shop. Artists create an edible book that's judged on appearance as well as taste; one can literally eat their words! The April 1 date is not an April Fool's joke, it actually was chosen to commemorate the birthday of Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826), a French gastronome who wrote the book, Physiologie du Gout. -Christine A. Smyczynski
Playing out of Dunn Tire Park in downtown Buffalo, this triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians baseball team has proved a success in the field and at the box office. In recent years, the team often outdraws some major league outfits and has the distinction of the largest Opening Day crowd ever in the minor leagues (19,699).
Explore three full floors of retail space at this bookshop located in a circa 1896 building in the heart of downtown. The shop, housed on 35,000 square feet of retail and warehouse space, overflows with a large selection of antique and rare books, collectible books, maps, autographs and engravings. It is one of the largest antique bookstores in upstate New York and, if by chance they don't have an item in stock, they will locate it for you. Since you will probably spend quite a bit of time here, stroll into the small café on the first floor before wandering through the aisles. - Christine A. Smyczynski
This popular candy shop and ice cream parlor, which has the largest selection of locally-made chocolates in western New York, was established by Joseph Boyd Oliver in 1932. Mr. Oliver started out by selling peanuts door to door and alter crated his signature cashew glaze. The shop carries over 350 varieties of candy, including a regional favorite: sponge candy. Non-chocolate specialties include maple candy, popcorn, jelly beans and lots of varieties of nuts. The ice cream parlor in the back of the shop is open year-round. Gift baskets are available. - Christine A. Smyczynski