A bookstore that offers much more than books

It has a catchy name. It's called the Dog Ears Bookstore. The cozy South Buffalo spot is a bookstore and a cafe. It's the perfect place to catch up on your reading but there's more here than meets the eye.

Tom McDonnell opened this non-profit Literary Arts Center in 2008 and he admits that "a lot of people told me I was out of my mind and still do."

Nine years after opening Dog Ears is still thriving. Between their many in house programs and outreach into the community, they are fulfilling Tom's original mission. He says "love of books is what we want to instill in people. We want to do it in a fun, imaginative, enthusiastic way that gets people to be life long readers."

The bookstore  and all of their programs survive through donations, grants, fund raisers and loyal volunteers. There is a bonanza of new books including a huge section of local authors. There is a spiral staircase that can test your knowledge of famous quotes.

Tom McDonnell has a soon to be published children's book of his own called Monster In The Morning which he says is "about a Mommy who hasn't had her coffee in the morning."

You can find out more information about Dog Ears Bookstore at their website.