By Elmer Ploetz
Editor-in-Chief

(The photo above is from Andrew Galarneau’s story on WEDI; in the photo are Harvey Heinrich, left, with mother Than Than Nu Saw and father Maung Maung.

If you’ve been following The Buffalo Hive over the past few days, you’ve seen Andrew Galarneau’s piece on WEDI and the West Side and Downtown Bazaars. 

It’s a great piece of journalism, extensive, well researched and dealing with an issue that is near and dear to the hearts of so many of us in the Buffalo and Western New York area. 

The West Side Bazaar had been a jewel in Buffalo since it started, a place where immigrants could launch and where longtime residents could meet them in a place of comfort, amid the immigrants’ food and dry goods (there were a few stores at the Grant Street location). it was place our entire family could agree on as a destination when we’ve gotten together. 

But, as Andrew’s reporting reveals, it hasn’t been what it seemed, if it ever was,  for a while now. The fire at the original location, Covid and all of its complications, the move to a new location, the opening of the downtown location … everything changed. 

This is award-worthy journalism, and it’s focused on our core coverage area of arts and culture. 

You can read about it here on The Buffalo Hive, where we carry Andrew’s Four Bites content on a regular basis. It originates on the Four Bites Substack and we share everything except the subscription-only content. 

We do the same thing with Jeff Miers’ Miers on Music content, R.D. Pohl’s literary calendar, Melinda Miller’s theater reviews, Seamus Gallivan’s Reconnector updates and Monica Power’s great daily events calendar updates. 

The way it works is we publish their work and also point back to their original site so people can subscribe there as well. 

Those items run alongside our original content, from M. Faust and Sarah Schwab on film, Benjamin Joe and Tanya Gamble on music, Jason Pomietlasz on comedy and Colin Dabkowskii on art. Plus Managing Editor Frank Housh and myself take our turns at writing (and Frank has his own Substack for additional content). 

We like to think of it as a new approach to community journalism. We’re attempting to bring all of the Western New York arts and culture community together in one place: The Buffalo Hive. It wouldn’t be possible without our collaborators. So thank you!  

And to our readers: Consider supporting Andrew, Jeff, R.D., Seamus and Monica, as well. Whether it’s a free subscription, a paid subscription, a membership or a Facebook follow, it will be worth it. 

While you’re at it, make sure to sign up for a free subscription to the forthcoming Buffalo Hive email newsletter! 

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We have some more collaborations in the works. If you would like to work with us, reach out with an email to thebuffalohive@gmail.com. 

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Speaking of our collaborators, congratulations to Jeff Miers, who is celebrating the first anniversary of his “Why Music Matters” podcast. Michael DeLano is his guest on the anniversary edition (Jeff’s 24th episode). You can watch it here: 

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In the realm of podcasts, Greg Hennessey’s “In the Flamingo Lounge with Rockabilly Greg” is always great listening. His current edition (released yesterday, Aug. 31, 2024) features an interview with Judd Sunshine. 

Over the past five seasons of the podcast, Greg has interviewed well over 100 musicians, promoters, writers (including this editor) and others about the Western New York music scene.

When Greg’s new season starts in a couple of weeks, we hope to be carrying his podcast on The Buffalo Hive, but meanwhile you can check out his site HERE!