Lose yourself in one of Buffalo's specialty bookstores

These (mostly) physical spaces with niche areas of focus are all led by passionate proprietors who merely want you to explore the many bookish possibilities. Pick a vibe, browse the shelves and see what sparks from there.

Fantasy & romance

“I wanted it to feel like an enchanted forest,” says Kristina Muffoletto, owner of Afterglow Books.

As soon as you step foot inside Afterglow Books, you’ll see she passed with flying colors—soft pinks and purples to be exact. The shop is located on the second floor of the Hiraeth House at 501 Delaware Ave., a shared workspace featuring all women-owned businesses. It’s unapologetically feminine and cozy like your favorite blanket, with bookshelves primarily dedicated to romance and fantasy novels.

Speaking of figments of the imagination, Kristina first thought this entire endeavor was just a daydream. “It felt like when you and your friends would talk about opening a flower shop or a bakery. It’s just fun to think about,” laughs Kristina.

But the avid reader was serious about creating a space where people could pursue happily-ever-afters in peace.

“Some bookstores can be too highbrow, where people feel embarrassed about going to the Romance section,” she says. “But there is such an emotional depth in romance novels. You really feel a character’s hope, fear, joy and anger when they’re coming to terms with the love they have.”

Stories for kids (plus kids at heart)

“I was a teacher for 15 years and I thought I would eventually write children’s books,” says Meg Howe, owner of Alice, Ever After Books. “Then I saw ‘You’ve Got Mail’ and it sort of blew my mind that you could own your own bookstore and it could also be just for kids. From then on, I always said, ‘Someday, I’m going to open a children’s bookstore.’”

Someday did eventually come; in 2021, Meg opened Alice, Ever After Books at 295 Parkside Ave., across from the Buffalo Zoo. The store’s mission is to offer a diverse range of titles so that every child who walks in sees themselves in a book.

And as for the name, that’s part of the story too.

“‘Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland’ felt like the right metaphor for what books really are,” Meg explains. “It’s a story of a young girl who goes into her own world and everything is different than what she thinks. She learns a lot about other creatures and a lot about herself and comes out as a whole new version of herself. We want kids, families and anybody that comes into the store to have that experience.”

From story time to book clubs to author visits, Meg wants this to truly be a community space for people of all ages. A wall dedicated to measuring the heights of visitors, big and small, tells me she is succeeding.

“Everyone is allowed to read the books, play with the toys and sit in the chairs. We don’t mind if your child pulls out every board book and dumps the crayons. The crayons get dumped every other day,” she laughs.

LGBTQIA+ & diverse perspectives

“Em and Em’s Books came to be because we were mad. We were tired of walking through mainstream stores and finding the types of books and authors we wanted either not stocked or pushed into an out-of-the-way, unseen corner,” says Emily Graham, co-owner of Em and Em’s Books.

The pop-up/online bookshop focuses on LGBTQIA+, diverse/BIPOC, and women authors and is 100% queer-owned and partially Native-owned by Emily Graham and Emma Hayes.

“Western New York is diverse. We have so many communities from all parts of the world and so many different lived experiences,” Emily says. “Everyone deserves at least one space to find those stories they can relate to—what better place than a bookstore?”

All things food

Read It & Eat Bookshop, which started as a subscription box, is all about creating culinary adventures. You can now find their newly opened storefront in the Valvaere Collective (featuring five women-owned businesses) at 2929 Main St. in Buffalo.

“We have cookbooks, chef memoirs, food history and more. But we also have spices from small businesses around the U.S. If you’re here to pick up a cookbook, maybe you need a spice to start with. We hope to bring it all together for you,” says owner Kimberly Behzadi.

The shop also offers a Books x Cooks series that pairs a renowned cookbook with a hands-on learning experience featuring a WNY chef.

Kimberly understands the power of food. She lost her father to cancer three years ago but stays connected to him through food memories. It’s what keeps her anchored to the shop on a personal level.

“I hope people come in excited to explore new cuisines, enjoy new smells and leave surprised,” she says. “There’s a whole sub-genre of cozy culinary mysteries and even spicy kitchen romances. There’s so much storytelling with food.”

Sci-fi, art & curiosities

“We specialize in science fiction, pulp paperbacks, dead media and witty banter,” says Eric Mowery, co-owner of Steward & Specter’s.

The last part may not be tangible, but it’s the real deal with Mowery and co-owner Noah Wojcki. They’ve perfected it over the 10 years of co-owning Steward & Specter’s, through all its iterations. It started as a small stand, then evolved into a traveling bookshop and now a quirky storefront at 2940 Delaware Ave. in Kenmore.

“When you’re in a physical store and looking at books, you’re seeing things you might not have exposure to otherwise,” Eric says. “You can go online and look at lists, but it gives you your algorithm. Having places like ours helps you discover different things and refine your tastes.”

The store is definitely part of the show. There are cozy nooks, walls full of art, vintage knick-knacks and even a small stage for future performances. Everything feels curated by a pair of friends that want you to get into something cool.

“It’s like treasure hunting with a simple question in mind: Is it interesting? That has served us pretty well,” says Noah.

Black stories & culture

“Zawadi” means gift in Swahili, which is a fitting name for a bookstore that’s been serving the Buffalo community for 48 years and counting.

“We started out in 1976, the year we got married. But really the year before, when we were still dating, we were gathering our books together. It was a perfect time, because the Black Arts Movement was spreading across the United States,” says Kenneth Holley, who owns Zawadi Books with his wife, Sharon.

Zawadi Books, at 1382 Jefferson Ave. in East Buffalo, specializes in books that are by and about people of African descent.

“It’s important that we are in the community,” Sharon says. “If you are an African American living in the neighborhood, it matters that we have a bookstore. You don’t have to go out of your way to find a book.”

As one of the longest-operating independent Black-owned businesses in the country, Zawadi Books is “a small store with a big impact.” The shop stocks both Black classics and contemporary selections, as well as greeting cards, stamp art, flags and specialty Kwanza and Juneteenth items.

“I love when people say they’ve never seen this anywhere else,” says Kenneth.