Local convenience and liquor store offers extreme accessibility to products

Do you remember the October Storm of 2006?

How the roads were unbearable to drive in and every business in the city was closed? That is almost every business, except one.

“We were actually here and open,” said Owner of Buz’N Bee Food Shoppes and Seneca Liquor. “We had generators outside and the people loved us in the neighborhood. We had products that were cold sensitive and we were giving them to the neighborhood.”

Having a 24-hour, 365 days a year convenience store in South Buffalo is what makes Buz-N-Bee, 2097 Seneca Street so special. Owned and operated by Rellinger and Joe-Lombardo for more than 30 years, the Buz-N-Bee is a hometown name that offers grocery store and convenience items that are available to purchase at any time.

“We are very grocery oriented, very organized, making it very easy for people to purchase something,” said Rellinger. “A lot of the little stores don’t carry produce or groceries. We are more on the bigger side so we have a lot more stuff that they just don’t choose to carry.”

The atmosphere is more than friendly with staff members who welcome customers in the store with a genuine smile. The business carries anywhere from chips and milk, to cold cuts and bananas; the only product they do not have available in the store is liquor, which is where Seneca Liquor comes into play.

Formerly “Queen Bee Meats,” Seneca Liquor, which is also owned and operated by Rellinger and Lombardo, is located directly next door to Buz-N-Bee. The owners believed opening the business would add even more convenience for local customers.

“The liquor store just seemed like something the neighborhood would thrive in,” said Rellinger. “We already sell a lot of beer at the Buz-N-Bee so we thought there was a good connection.”

The liquor store offers great gift giving items for any holiday. Various wine and liquor comes wrapped in holiday gift-wrap, along with many other fun items for sale.

Rellinger said he doesn’t know what the future holds but they are definitely always looking to expand their businesses with new ideas.

“We’re never happy with the way things are which I think has given us the continued success,” he said. “On the grocery side we are talking about opening our back wall here and putting in a sub shop, having fresh subs made to order.”

Buz-N-Bee is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Seneca Liquor is open 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday thru Wednesday and 10 a.m. to midnight Thursday thru Sunday.