By Robert J. McLennan

(Image above: L-R Peter and Devon Powers in the BestCellar Book Bar. Photo by Kim Duxbury)

All my life I’ve always been a reader; I always take a book with me in case there is unexpected downtime.  I guess that says something about my level of patience, I’m not good at waiting.  

Books have exposed me to a whole world of people and places and ideas that I may not have thought of; I can’t imagine life without books.  I can go to a bookstore and spend hours looking around.  In fact, the problem with books is knowing that I’m not going to live long enough to read all the books on my wishlist.  History, novels, music, baseball … I read all kinds of books. 

Then there are bars. Taverns, saloons, pubs, I’m a big fan.  

Throughout history, people have met in taverns to share news, to meet up with friends, engage with strangers, even to pick up the mail in the early days on the American frontier.  Taverns are connected with traditions, like to celebrate good news or to commiserate after a wake or funeral.   

Then there’s music; even in small bars or taverns a solo performer or a group of musicians playing together for a seisiún can bring a special warmth to those sharing the space with them.

The best taverns are unifiers and will include young and old, factory workers and business executives, artists and musicians and everything in between.  There’s no place else like it in American culture to meet strangers and old friends, to laugh and socialize.  You can have a beer at home but there’s just something comforting about going out to a bar and being part of the community.

So, when I heard the news that a new bookstore was opening in Clarence, the BestCellar Book Bar, a combination book store and bar, I got all excited about it.  We visited during their first week and I bought a couple books and enjoyed a Rohrbach Scotch Ale.  

We found out Devon Powers has gone into business with her father, retired attorney Peter Powers.  She does not have previous business experience.  In fact, her profession has been as a nurse practitioner, but she has started feeling a little burnt out from that job and she said, “I love being an entrepreneur and being able to create something that makes people happy.”

The idea for a book/bar came to her several years ago.  

“I like to read in public and I wanted a space that was more comfortable to read,” she said. “I like to have a beer when I read, and wine and books go together well, too.”   

The traditional image of people reading in bars is more of an old-fashioned thing; picture taverns that would always have a selection of newspapers available. Now there are far more likely to be people on a laptop or cell phone. 

But “a lot of people like to read in bars,” Powers added. She doesn’t have to convince me of that.

Powers picked out the books and she did an amazing job with a lot of new titles, some classics, a small used section; there is history, romance, fantasy, science and many different kinds of fiction.  You can grab what you’re curious about and settle in at the bar, or a table or a couch and check them out.  

She’ll continue to add to the collection as she goes. 

“I tried to balance popular authors with what I knew to be very good and interesting selections,” she said. 

The store’s semi-private meeting space is already being utilized by book clubs from Clarence, Williamsville and even Niagara County.  There is a trivia night being planned for after the first of the year. There will be authors’ appearances, and eventually there will be music, either solo or duo acts.  

The bookstore/bar has two TVs, so Bills games will be on, at least the 1 p.m. games.    Also in the works are a membership awards program and discounts and specials on both books and drinks.

Their hours of operation are 9 a.m.-9 p.m. six days a week and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sundays, so that means they have coffee and a selection of breakfast sandwiches and pastries. Throughout the day they have a selection of small plates.  

BestCellar has an attractive beer menu, including selections from Flying Bison, Big Ditch and more. They also have wine and seltzers. See their full menu at their website here.

So far, business has been good and Powers has high hopes that BestCellar Book Bar will be a staple in Clarence for years to come.  With 2,800 square feet, this unique space provides the chance to look for a new book, read or work on your own, or meet up with friends. 

I asked Powers what identity she was going for as a bar and a bookstore.  She said, “We’ve been described as cozy, and that sounds good to me.”

There’s no place else around like the BestCellar Book Bar. Check it out and see if it’s cozy enough for you to make it one of your regular stops.

Robert J. McLennan is vice president of The Buffalo Hive Board of Directors.