Each year, in anticipation of Buffalo Independent Bookstores’ participation in Independent Bookstore Day, I try to find a new book shop to spotlight. Now, you might think that that would be a tough task, since it’s not everyday that a new book shop opens in Buffalo… but I must say that I do, in fact, usually unearth a “new-to-me” place to visit each year.
This time around, I want to tell people about Evening House Books, located within The Lane on Main (at The Ruth building – 523 Main Street) in downtown Buffalo. A friend of mine and I happened upon this quaint little book shop this past Saturday, while touring the area. Evening House Books happens to front Main Street, but is also one of a number of indie shops located within the building, which stretches all the way to Washington Street.
As we browsed the book shop, we were both immediately enchanted, when we came across a number of books wrapped in plain kraft paper. Each of the packages – containing two books with common themes – was marked with hints about what sort of mystery tomes were inside, without giving away the actual titles. The “Blind Books” idea was very clever, we both thought, especially for someone who can’t make up their mind about what books to purchase. It’s also an interesting gift idea, as there is certainly an element of surprise for both the purchaser and the recipient.
About Evening House Books:
- Focus: Indie authors, small presses, and a highly curated selection of genres including horror, sci-fi, and poetry.
- Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Closed Sunday and Monday).
- Website: eveninghousebooks.com
- Phone: 716-203-5599
Evening House Books was opened by Amanda Ylizal and John Chrostek on January 1, 2025. The business helps to fill a gap in the downtown bookstore scene, while contributing to the overall proliferation of indie bookstores in Buffalo and beyond, as you can see by the Buffalo Bookstore Passport, below.
2026 marks the 13th Anniversary of Independent Bookstore Day, to be celebrated on Saturday, April 25. Per usual, there will a Buffalo Bookstore Passport program that will run from April 11th to April 25. Each store will organize their own Independent Bookstore Day promotions on those days.
To see the full list of participating bookstores, click here.
To learn more about the Passport, click here.
Also visit www.bflobookstores.com for more information on the impressive world of local indie bookstores.
