DoEast Side
163 Kerns Ave.
Mon Thu 4PM-10PM, Tue Wed noon-10PM, Fri Sat 4PM-close, Sun noon-close
Nestled in a verdant setting on a side street at the edge of Schiller Park (hence the name), this address is best known among Buffalonians as the original location of Scharf's, which dished out hearty German-American pub grub to a steadily dwindling crowd of neighborhood old-timers for nearly half a century before finally closing up shop in 2014. Nowadays, though, soul food is the name of the game at the Park Vue. The hours of operation are not what you'd call extensive, but if you can catch the place open, you're in for a feast of barbecue ribs, fried chicken, mac & cheese, and other finger-lickin'-good favorites, an ambience that's as down-to-earth as the old place but also a lot less gritty, and service that's the definition of old-fashioned Southern hospitality.
Thu 5PM-10PM, Fri Sat 3PM-10PM, Sun noon-6PM·$10-30
Owner Lakeisha Williams proudly sells her line of new and secondhand women's "Fashions on a Budget" in this sparsely decorated storefront in the heart of the Delavan-Bailey business district. If your tastes tend toward the Afrocentric, KeeKee's is the place for you, with lots of colorful wooden jewelry and flowing dresses in tribal-style prints, but aside from that the styles here tend to be a bit more understated than what you'll find on a your typical East Side urban fashion boutique. But there are some really upscale finds here among the dresses, blouses, shawls, shoes, handbags, and other accessories.
Mon-Fri 10AM-6PM, Sat 10AM-5PM
Sky's the Limit is run by local entrepreneur Ahmed Ahmed, a second-generation Yemeni-American immigrant who also owns Farm Fresh Market across the street. The main attraction here is a dizzying range of beauty supplies as well as wigs and weaves, but there's also a similarly impressive selection of urban-style women's apparel and footwear, with excellent bargains to be had on bold, sassy tops, leggings, dresses and other formalwear, work uniforms, and even kids' clothing. The downside at Sky's the Limit is the customer service, which tends toward the inattentive.
Daily 9AM-11PM