Shopping Indie: Dog Ears Bookstore

I introduced the Shopping Indie feature on my blog a few months ago, and then promptly got really busy and forgot about it.  I am happy to report that now it has officially begun :)

Yesterday, I was out Christmas shopping and the mall was crazy.  I needed coffee.  Badly.  I knew Starbucks would be rediculous because it's right by the mall, so I decided to head to Caz Coffee Cafe in South Buffalo.  Attached to Caz (the entrance is actually inside the cafe) is Dog Ears Bookstore.  I am bad and didn't think to take a photo of the outside, so I'm using the photo from their website:

So not only does the cafe have a bookstore inside of it,  but it also has really good coffee too.  I got a large latte, because I needed one.  And they were out of large cups, so they gave me my latte in a gigantic bowl.  It was the size of 2 large lattes, and I was a very happy girl.  Anyway, the atmosphere was great because there was live music.  And Kaz doesn't just have coffee, they have smoothies, hot cocoa, and even breakfast food, sandwiches, and wraps.  Highly recommend. 

The bookstore is right through the main "dining" room and is super cozy and I felt like I was in a house.  It's a small bookstore, but I had no problems finding books I wanted to read.  Have you ever noticed how when you're at big box bookstores, you get overwhelmed by the selection and can't seem to find anything??  Happens to me all the time.  Here, I found at least 20 books that have been on my list for ages.  The man working the counter was super nice and as soon as I walked in asked what kind of books I was looking for, and then he directed me over to where the fiction section is located. 

Almost forgot to mention: the bookstore actually supports the Enlightenment Literary Arts Center, which is right above the bookstore and teaches people how to read and how important reading is.  The profits made at the bookstore go to the Literary Arts Center.  So yay for a good cause!   

The bookstore was so homey that I could have spent hours in there, and there are comfy chairs to sit in if you want.  I walked away with two books:

And look at the adorable bags they put the books in:

All in all, a great experience, and I can honestly say that I'll be spending a lot of time in the future here.  And hey, if the whole cafe and bookstore in one isn't enough for you, just think about this.  Caz and Dog Ears are in South Buffalo, Buffalo's big Irish neighborhood, which is filled with Irish pubs with great beer, great people, and awesome food :)  If you're ever in town, you definitely need to check it out!

The deets: http://dogearsbookstore.org/
                http://www.cazcoffee.com/ 



Shopping Indie: My Local Bookstores

Independent bookstores are an integral part of the bookish community, yet I find that (at least in my city) many people don't realize what indie bookstores are out there.  I live in Buffalo, NY, and the city, suburbs, and surrounding region has so many local bookshops selling used and new books to offer the people in my community.  I've decided to showcase a different indie bookstore in my area every 2 weeks or so (depending on how busy my life decides to get) for a while until I've exhausted the pretty long list.  I'll give a brief description of each store, say what each has to offer, and will personally visit each one to give you an idea of the atmosphere (and buy myself a book or two or three....).  I may sometimes even interview owners or employees as well!  I hope that this feature will encourage those who live in the area or who visit the area to stop in, buy a book or two at one of these stores, and support the local indie community!  And if you don't live in Buffalo, I'd love to see what local book shops your city has to offer!

Look for my first "Shopping Indie" bookstore post coming soon!