After working in the insurance business for more than 20 years, Dennis Booth branched out and started his own business in North Tonawanda. As the owner of The Booth Insurance Agency, Booth is able to assist customers by providing them with an insurance quote that best suites their needs. He can provide quotes for auto insurance, homeowners insurance, life insurance, businesses, and more. “I really liked my job and an insurance agent, and as a banker before that. I just wanted to be able to make decisions on my own,” said Booth. “Some people thought it was a risky move at my age, but it’s been great so far.” Upon entering into business for himself, Booth realized how much time and energy needs... more

Appleton — Offering a taste of a wide variety of fruity flavors, the winery at Marjim Manor has been open for business for the past 7 years. Owner Margo Sue Bittner began the winery as an offshoot of her husband Jim’s business, Singer Farms. “He has his business and I have mine,” said BittnerBittner said that with both businesses, her and Jim like to keep family close. Their two sons, Kevin and David work with Jim at the farm. Their daughter Janet Walker and daughter-in-law Crystal Bittner-McCarthy work at the winery, helping with event planning and business aspects. The winery at Marjim Manor has 36 wines, with 20 available for tasting at one time. The winery features more fruit wines than grapes,... more

When it comes to fixing up your home, you deserve the comfort in knowing that the job is getting properly done. And that’s just what Fair Home Improvement offers customers: quality work, completed in a neat, orderly fashion.Fair Home Improvements was established more than 25 years ago and has always operated with a local business approach, meaning that all customers are valued and treated like individuals. Located at the corner of Cleveland Drive and Harlem Road, Fair Home Improvement has always serviced Western New York and has a reputable place in the community.“Our goal is to help you realize your goal,” says Charles Durante, owner of Fair Home Improvements. “From planning, to ordering, from... more

“It was 25 years ago. I answered a newspaper employment ad seeking college grads to help sell some recently invented electronic gadget that helped people hear. I had completed a Bachelor of Science degree and was studying hearing loss in animals at the time, so I thought it might be an interesting job. It turned out to be entering on the ground floor with a technology that would literally change thousands of lives.”That was how Steve Biondi, owner of Hear Now, Inc. Hearing Center, 9735 Main St., Clarence, described his fist job in what would eventually become a global industry at the cutting edge of technology. The position was with noted audiologist Dr. Edward Aleo, now of Kingston, NY, who... more

Lockport — With a nod to the 1950s, classic characters and Lockport, Tom’s Diner invites people to “step inside, step back in time.”Located at 11 Main St., the diner has been open for close to a decade. Four years ago, when Tom decided to sell the restaurant, his son Kyle Lambalzer and wife Dawn and Rick Strassburg and his wife Kris decided to take over. Rick had worked at Tom’s Diner for several years prior to taking over and jumped at the opportunity to own a restaurant. “This is my dream,” said Rick. “I always wanted a restaurant.”Kris said that she came a long for the ride. Both Rick and Kris have worked in food service for most of their lives. “It’s in our blood,” said Kris. “I love working... more

BUFFALO, NY - Brick Oven Bistro & Deli, offering a unique mix of artisan brick oven pizzas, delicious entrees served in new and exciting ways, gourmet deli sandwiches and much more, is set to open at 3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13. South Buffalo’s newest restaurant is located at 910 Abbott Road and breathes new life into a former neighborhood market that stood vacant for several years.The behind-the-scenes team that has been busy creating this new eatery includes South Buffalo natives Charlie Goodspeed and John Glavey, with Goodspeed bringing more than 30 years of restaurant experience to the table. Overseeing the kitchen is Boston, N.Y., native Andrew Murtha. Chef Murtha built his fine dining resumé... more

Carl’s Lotto Market has been a Cheektowaga destination for all things convenient for more than 40 years, and for good reason. Located at 687 Dick Road, Carl’s provides all your convenience store needs – from lottery tickets to deli meats, from grocery items to household supplies – but with a personalized, neighborly touch.Established by Carl Mazikowski in 1966, it was clear from the start that Carl’s Lotto Market was a great store, a family place. Carl ran a successful family business for many years, and in 2009, his daughter, Maria Guillot, took over as owner of the store.“He helped me when I began,” Guillot said. “He was here every step of the way helping me out. There aren’t many [family businesses]... more

Car rides just aren’t the same if they aren’t enjoyable, and lucky for customers, Daryll’s Car Audio has everything to turn a car into a dream car, a ride into an experience. The store goes by a saying: “If you’re going to do it, do it right,” and that’s the philosophy behind every sale – meeting the needs, attaining satisfaction.Established in 1991, Daryll’s Car Audio has been providing Western New Yorkers with custom car audio and accessories for more than 20 years now. The store began with its first location at 503 Dick Road, and after growing and securing a good customer base, opened up a second location at 2350 Union Road. Though the store has seen its share of changes over the years, one... more

Being a resident of the Kensington Village Apartments differs from the typical apartment feel as a definitely temporary place. Living at Kensington Apartments means enjoying your living space, feeling completely at home.Located at 105 Affinity Lane in Buffalo, the Kensington Village Apartments offer residents affordable, enjoyable, and convenient living. There are different floor plans available – one-bedroom, two-bedroom, three-bedroom – at reasonable prices starting at $670. And here’s where residency gets really good: all utilities are included in one- and two-bedrooms – gas, electric, water, sewer, and trash pick up.Other features and amenities include clean, spacious, freshly painted apartments... more

Successful restaurant owner Gary Brennan, embarked on a new business endeavor in 1991 when he began running Yankee Spirit Liquor Store, previously located in Youngstown. After being in the restaurant business for more than 25 years, Brennan opened Yankee Spirit Liquor Store because it was a close location to his home and he thought it might be a good investment. Soon realizing he could have access to more customers with a better location, Brennan headed to the Northtowns and began running the store at its newest location, 959 Payne Ave., North Tonawanda. As the current owner of Brennan’s Irish Pub in Youngstown, his experience in restaurants has provided him with knowledge he needs to give customers... more

Sometimes, people just need some space. And for those people there is Atlas Self Storage.Established 6 years ago, Atlas Self Storage offers customers a place to keep things – whatever those things may be – for however long storage is needed. With two locations – one at 550 Cayuga Road in Cheektowaga and 138 Ridge Road in Lackwanna – Western New Yorkers can rest assured that options are available if the need for more space ever arises. The company goes to great lengths to meet all customer needs, whether it’s packing, moving, or storage. Atlas Self Storage caters to all walks of customers, from small apartment dwellers to big business owners. Apartment dwellers typically store overflow items in... more

This winter so far has been quite good to Western New Yorkers, but as most of us know… living in Buffalo that can change in a heartbeat. Celebrating 10 years in business this past October, Scott Cacciotti, owner of Grandview Landscaping and Snowplowing, Inc., provides commercial snowplowing, salting, as well as quality landscaping maintenance, to the Lancaster area. Although, Cacciotti formed his company 10 years ago, he has been in the landscaping and snowplowing industry for 26 years. “I like being outside. It is the whole being outside thing I really enjoy. As much as I hate the weather that is where I would rather be,” said Cacciotti. Even though, Cacciotti doesn’t offer residential snowplowing... more

Having a good eye for good eyes is something that runs in the Troidl family, owners and operators of Troidl Optical, a total eye care provider that emphasizes quality and customer service. Troidl Optical is a family business that began when Robert Troidl opened his first location in 1976. Since then, he developed a business, raised a family, and passed on his gift in optometry to his son Eric, who is now an optician and the company owner. In 1994 Troidl Optical moved to 665 Cleveland Dr. in Cheektowaga, and since then has become an area go-to for essentially any ocular need – from eye exams to eyeglass repair. “I’ve been very lucky that we’ve been in the area and supported in the town by our... more

When entering into any liquor store, most of us already know what type of alcohol we want to buy, but for the rest of us, Owner of T&C Liquors, Thomas Williams, and his employees can help you make the right choice, especially if you are looking for the prefect wine to go with a food dish, give as a gift, or even if you are in the mood to try a new cocktail. Williams opened T&C Liquors four years ago in the D&L Plaza, 5175 Broadway, in Depew, and it was an ideal business for him since all the jobs he had before then were in retail. He even gained experience working at another liquor store. “I knew what I needed to get this going. I started this from scratch. I knew the basics. I needed... more

Flint’s Hardware has been a staple in Newfane since 1920. This business has grown and changed with the community for more than 90 years. The Flint brothers, the original owners, owned the store until 1964 when James Kramer, Sr. purchased it. He ran the store until his retirement in 1993 when his son, Jim Kramer, Jr. took over. “I grew up in it,” said Jim, on why he took the store over for his father. “I’ve enjoyed watching something grow, taking care of it and being here for the community.”Jim’s first taste in the hardware business came when he worked at the store through high school and college. Though taking over the store was not always his plan — he earned a physical education degree — when... more

Goodwill Industries of Western New York recently opened its eighth retail store at 4779 Transit Road (corner) French, Depew. The 7,300 square foot area offers a wide variety of women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing, accessories, décor, small appliances, furniture, linens, book, toys, and more.The newly opened store created new job opportunities for seven area residents. Goodwill makes a strong effort to create as many employment opportunities as it can and has been continuously working toward that goal for 91 years.“Since the ‘soft opening’ on July 1, the store has been doing very well and we’ve been getting great comments from our new customers,” said President and CEO of Goodwill Industries... more

A large industrial fire broke out Monday afternoon at Twin Village Recycling, 4153 Broadway, in Depew. Smoke from the blaze could be seen miles away, as more than 100 firefighters from Depew Fire Department and surrounding areas responded to the scene to extinguish the fire. What is even more astonishing is that the facility was back open for business taking in scrap iron, cars, copper, batteries, brass, and cans the next day.  “We are pretty resilient. We have been here for 65 years and you just know how to handle certain situations. We have backup generators and we have a network of people that have helped us out with our specialized equipment that we need, and they got us going right... more

The Eastern Hills Mall is home to the girl-friendly store, Spoil Me Silly, Too. Geared toward the childlike fairytales that every little girl hopes to experience one day, the store provides a chance for young girls to be treated like a princess for a day.For an affordable price, girls can play dress up and enjoy a day at the spa by getting their nails painted, hair and make up done, and have a tea party.Driven by the success of neighboring store Spoil Me Silly, President Julie Marinaro found inspiration to create the magical environment so that young girls could have a day of glitz and glamour as well.For $12 per hour, parents can drop off their daughter while they shop and she can receive the... more

The family owned public golf course, and restaurant, The Shawnee Country Club, has begun its season with a bang.As a nine-hole, 3,280-yard, par 36 public golf course, the venue has affordable rates for both season pass holders, reduced rates for senior citizens that are at least 60 years old, and public residents that just want to play nine holes.Owners Glen and Gordon Gau have owned the Shawnee Country Club since 1986, after they purchased the golf course from its original owner, Bob Lorenz, who developed an 84-acre farm into a golf course in 1965.The venue also hosts banquets, meetings, and parties in its banquet and clubhouse area. Lissa Amabile, banquet manager, makes sure to spend extra... more

Environmentally-friendly business Hillman Automotive Inc., has kicked off the 2011 year with a fresh start.The newly designed facility is equipped with flat screens, a fireplace, and Wi-Fi access in the waiting room. The location has many new green aspects that allow Hillman Automotive to enhance the quality of service they can provide for their customers.The facility contains a waste oil boiler used for recycling and repurposing oil from the quick lube department that can be used for many purposes.Hillman Automotive is now heated by using old oil obtained from oil changes that is then distributed into a boiler and flows the oil through coils that are placed beneath the floor.“We are using radiant... more