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| University at Buffalo students Ian Murray and Shiv Kotecha |
and Kevin Hoffman
Bengal News reporters
In a city full of transplanted people the search for a home away from home can be never ending. As the smell of roasted coffee beans and breakfast foods fill the air, local patrons begin their morning sitting on retro chairs with eyes squinting at the gleaming lights.
At the sight of entering Sweet_ness 7 Café on 220 Grant St., locals are mesmerized by the café’s antique look and “homey” atmosphere giving them a place to meet others and engage in stimulating conversations.
“For me it is a home away from home,” Kelly Cornelius, 35, artist said. “ I can sit in my kitchen and make espresso alone or with my husband, but being here feels very relaxed. I can come here for as long as I want to and there is no rush.”
There is a certain vibe at Sweet_ness 7 Café that is different from that of Café Aroma and Spot Coffee said Cornelius. A lot of artists and musicians are among the common faces in the café, she added.
Sweet_ness 7 Café, you can also find the common college student occupying its retro tables.
“To me it’s a coffee shop with plenty of seating room, offering a laid back feel. You can get in your own world and work on your own stuff while also being in a public place. University at Buffalo student Ian Murray said. “The wood everywhere adds to the atmosphere, as it doesn’t feel like a Starbuck’s or corporate place.”
As the West Side expands and rejuvenates itself, Sweet_ness 7 Café has become a central meeting place for many community activists and leaders to discuss ways to further improve the neighborhood.
“A lot of people that come in here are community activists or really involved in Buffalo,” said Kate Weidner, 24, café barista from Buffalo.
Weidner further added that many West Side non-profit organizations like, Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo and People United for Sustainable Housing use the café as their meeting grounds, making this place a special gem of trafficking ideas for the future.
Weidner shines light on Prish Moran, owner of Sweet_ness 7 Café and her motives of opening it.
“She opened this place with no expectations, just for friends to come hang out and it just blew-up,” Weidner said. “She doesn’t advertise, it’s all word of mouth, it’s all community oriented.”
Moran was able to furnish and build her café with the help of Buffalo ReUse, a non-profit organization that aims to take used building materials or furniture and restore it or use it for other construction projects throughout the West Side, giving her the opportunity to win a restoration award for collaborating with the organization.
Weidner also said that there are plans of opening another Sweet_ness 7 Café on Parkside Avenue across from the Buffalo Zoo in the coming months, adding another “home away from home” in Buffalo.
Edited by Kevin Freiheit and Taylor Steinberg
Upon entering Sweet_ness 7 Café I was enthralled and intrigued by the antique look of the place.
ReplyDeleteMy three years in Buffalo I have never been to the café and have only driven towards the West Side a few times. The café itself was busy with college students and locals. The banging of plates and hissing of steaming coffee presented an interesting dynamic. Even though with all the noise it did not seem as if there would be a “homey” feel to this place, but of course I was wrong. Spending a few hours in the café did eventually feel like being back home.
The retro and antique furniture along with the various conversations surrounding me did provide for that back at home feel. -Jeffrey Heras
Before spending an afternoon at the Sweet_ness 7 Café on Grant Street, I had only heard of the efforts that were being made to restore the cities west side district. Living in the area around Buffalo State College and being an avid bike rider, I have been slowly noticing the improved efforts to revitalize the city. Sweet_ness 7 Café seemed to offer an adequate option if someone would like to avoid the crowds of Spot Coffee and the Starbucks Corp.
ReplyDeleteThe environment made for an interesting experience as all of the furniture was pre-owned.
This aspect really built on the “home-cooked” feel of the restaurant as they hope to instill a sense of loyalty in the returning customers.
I will gladly be returning to the café, offering any help I can to the revitalization of Buffalo’s West Side. --Kevin Hoffman