Sunday News: Downtown Bazaar closing averted, WEDI board disputes Galarneau story
Journalists are wisely cautioned to avoid 'becoming the story,' but when a non-profit decides to slag your reputation, one does what one must
The Downtown Bazaar will remain open, after all.
For now, at least. Steve Zenger told Francesca Bond of The Buffalo News that the space loses money, but WEDI’s tenants came up with a rescue plan.
“One of the potential solutions, proposed by the bazaar’s tenants, is to shift to a more cooperative ownership model. The bazaar’s tenants – five restaurants and one boutique – would have the opportunity to take over the lease and share ownership,” Bond wrote.
Zenger is a board member and past board president of Westminster Economic Development Initiative, the non-profit that operates economic incubator spaces at 617 Main St., and the West Side Bazaar at 1432 Niagara St.
Three days ago, I reported that WEDI’s board approved hiring Executive Director Carolynn Welch’s nanny as a full-time manager. Then rejected experienced bar operators like Sam Marabella of House of Charm, and Hombre y Lobo’s Isaac Domingue and Ryan DiFranco as unqualified.
Instead, the WEDI board decided the only viable candidate was Joe Joy, who Welch said was her ex-boyfriend. Joy had never held a liquor license, never obtained more than a temporary license while operating Lulu’s Pub at the Downtown Bazaar, then closed his business.
(If you haven’t read “WEDI hired executive director's nanny, then awarded Downtown Bazaar bar to ex-boyfriend” yet, here’s your chance.)
WEDI’s response was to declare that my story was wrong - “exaggerated and extremely one-sided,” while not actually providing the community with any information backing up that claim.
As an independent journalist, my reputation is one of my most valuable assets. If people in my community don’t trust me to get their stories straight, they won’t talk to me. That hurts my work, and puts the future of my fledgling media enterprise in doubt.
When WGRZ’s Nate Benson asked for my response, I tried to boil it down to the basics.
This much is clear: One of us is seriously wrong.
Which one? I would offer an opinion, but I’m biased.
Nonprofits are part of the community, fueled by the community, to do good for the community. Fortunately, I have the tools and experience to provide relevant information to help everyone who ever cared about the West Side Bazaar decide what should happen with this community asset.
So if you’d like to contribute to my understanding of the situation as I work on more reports about WEDI’s effects on the community, get in touch at andrew@fourbites.net.
Or just follow along for free at fourbites.net to see how the story ends.
REVIEW: It saddens me to learn how many Buffalo eaters who could dearly benefit from a pastrami on rye with a schmear, a bowl of matzo ball soup, or a handmade knish drive right by 285 Delaware Ave. without knowing Risa Paonessa is right there waiting for them. Decades after her father was kosher-style deli royalty on Hertel Avenue with Ralph’s, then Stumpy’s, Risa Paonessa keeps the faith at Risa’s Deli, hidden inside a blank-faced building that just happens to have ample parking around back, 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays. (For patrons, later today.)
SOFT OPEN: Long-awaited Beacon Grille, from Bruce and Amanda Wieszala, is in soft-opening mode at 185 Allen St.
It’s the veteran restaurant couple’s first place of their own, after decades of putting their talents to work for other people. She managed Tappo, he won notice for his cooking at Tabree, Bourbon & Butter, and charcuterie skills.
Here’s the starter menu, thanks to Matthew Pasquarella. Notably, bacon nugs are back. Perhaps God does listen to prayers, after all.
EVENT: Cooperation Buffalo, a non-profit that helps people and groups decide if the co-op lifestyle is right for them, holds its quarterly mixer June 20 at BreadHive, 402 Connecticut St.
Here’s what Cooperation Buffalo does, from its website:
We engage our community in training and education in cooperative economics and do work to grow economic democracy and an ecosystem of cooperatively owned enterprises in Buffalo.
We support the start-up of new worker cooperatives and conversions of existing businesses to worker ownership that meet the criteria of our Values Filter. We offer technical assistance to other cooperatives when we can.
We circulate capital to cooperatives in a non-extractive way through the Seed Commons Community Wealth Cooperative. We are also building out a local loan fund based on the Seed Commons principles.
It’s free and open, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Expect snacks and patio seating, in clement weather.
EVENT: The Buffalo Myanmar Water Festival is set for June 29. Thingyan is a Burmese holiday that celebrates another year with food, prayers, participant water dousing at a scale that rivals Dyngus Day.
The water part includes squirtgun and hose-wielding wars, so keep your head on a swivel and your phone dry.
It’s 11 a.m.-6 p.m., June 29, at Grant and Lafayette, $10 to enter. “We will have culture dances, a live band, water playing stations, and traditional Burmese food. Live band this year is EXODUS-21,” the announcement said.
ASK THE CRITIC:
Q: what’s a good mid-price sit-down Arabic restaurant with traditional food? I know the Greek places, but I’m not familiar with the Arabic places.
- Ted L., via Facebook
A: Falafel Bar (Israeli), Almandi (Yemeni), Almaza Grill (Lebanese), and Amira’s Kitchen (Palestinian) are my top choices for food of the Levant and neighbors.
More reading from Michael Chelus:
Mr. Galarneau wrote about the delicious food with a Continental sophistication to be found at Café Bar Moriaty [Four Bites]
The Connor J. Casey Foundation has provided Buffalo Resilience with a new van to use for the next three years [Four Bites]
Francesca wrote about James Beard-nominated chef, Ryan Ferandez and his beacn of "Tex-ish" barbecue - Southern Junction [Buffalo News]
Francesca also gave us a look at the soul food options at the Juneteenth Festival [Buffalo News]
While the Buffalo nominees didn't win any James Beard awards, Francesca argues that our culinary scene remains on an upward trojectory [Buffalo News]
Take a peek inside Beacon Grille, Amanda and Bruce Wieszala's new Allentown restaurant [Buffalo News]
Brett visited Margaritas Mexican Cantina in Depew [Step Out Buffalo]
Brett also told us about K-BBQ & Hot Pot Buffalo in Amherst [Step Out Buffalo]
Brian's Buffalo Beer Briefs told us of the grand opening of the NYBP Beer Lodge in Orchard Park, Wayland Brewing's first anniversary weekend and more [Step Out Buffalo]
Scott interviewed John Cimperman, owner of 42 North Brewing [Buffalo News]
Brett was also very impressed with the NYBP Beer Lodge [Step Out Buffalo]
#30#
Never knew Risa’s had parking. Always pay for a meter on Delaware.