BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — A fire hit the popular West Side Bazaar building on Grant Street in Buffaloon September 20, shuttering businesses for its vendors.
But Thursday night, Delaware North and the Buffalo Sabres played host to a special fundraiser called “A Taste of the West Side Bazaar” inside the Lexus Club at KeyBank Center in downtown Buffalo.
Food vendors from the West Side Bazaar were busy preparing late Thursday morning preparing their specialty items inside the kitchen of the Lexus Club.
The fire left 11 food and retail vendors without a place to work, making it impossible for them to make a living.
“It's not easy. It's not easy because we are used to it and we are looking for the money to make more business,” reflected Akec Agues, operator, Nile River Restaurant.
“The trauma has been real for everybody. They don't have anywhere to work. They’ve been working a bit at Westminster Church on Delaware Avenue, which was our founding body of WEDI,” explained Erin Kelly, WEDI.
WEDI is the organization that oversees the West Side Bazaar.
Kelly says thanks to the generosity of Delaware North and the Buffalo Sabres, they've been able to raise nearly $20,000 from Thursday night's planned ‘Taste of the West Side Bazaar'.
Stephen Forman is a regional executive chef with Delaware North Sports Services.
“Corporate partnerships coming to stand beside other organizations that are down and out — to be able to give some assistance for everybody to be back on their feet — working together to make us who we are — right? the City of Good Neighbors” declared Forman.
When the fire hit, construction was already underway for a new location at Niagara Street, but that site won't be ready until next fall and for now, vendors can't return to the leased space on Grant Street.
In a second kitchen at KeyBank Center, Jesenaida Collazo was working intensely making carrot cheesecake and Puetro Rican desserts for the fundraiser.
On the day of the fire, she was ready to sign her lease to open her bakery at the Bazaar.
“I was severely devastated because I worked so hard to like build this and then, you know, it's so close to the finish line — you could almost grab, and then it's like — it burned down — it's like oh my gosh, no,” remarked Collazo.
@WestSideBazaar food vendors, displaced by a fire, are creating their specialties for a sold out fundraiser hosted by @delawarenorth & @BuffaloSabres @KeyBankCtr @WKBW #BuffaloStrong pic.twitter.com/XPTZOPmdzE
— Eileen Buckley (@eileenwkbw) November 3, 2022
Chef Forman tells 7 News he is a big fan of the food at West Side Bazaar and is keeping hope for them to reopen soon. Forman says he’s looking forward to tasting all their items Thursday night.
“I told all of them — I'm coming with an empty stomach. I expect to leave with a full stomach. I'm trying everything. I’m excited,” responded Forman.
Both vendors are staying positive about their very difficult situation.
“We're happy to see people and finally talk to people and serve — that's really what we wanted to do,” Collazo noted.
“No worry for now, but don't know for the future — but for now support is still coming,” replied Agues.
Buffalo Fire said the cause of the fire was a countertop fryer in the kitchen area.
