Another offshoot of the West Side Bazaar has sprung up in Buffalo, this time in Black Rock. Success stories continue to unfold in the form of small businesses breaking away from the bazaar in order to set off on their own. This time it’s Martha Sosa, who you might recall from a Buffalo Rising article back in March of 2011, who has opened a small Peruvian boutique on Amherst Street called Pure Peru. The store is chock full of colorful imported wares ranging in style and price. What makes Martha and her shop so unique is that she is not only a retailer, she’s also a chef. And when she’s not retailing, catering or setting up pop-up Peruvian feasts, she’s busy perfecting her plan to one day open a restaurant in Buffalo.
In the meantime, Martha is anticipating the day when the new West Side Bazaar incorporates a fully functioning kitchen with shared cooking facilities into its incubator concept. When that day comes, Martha hopes to be one of the four food concepts that will have access to prepare and sell food at the venue. I would imagine that from there, the business experience would help to eventually allow Martha to acquire her own restaurant space… similar to what happened with her retail store.
To think that in such a short time one person can be venture down so many different roads. We’ll be keeping an eye on Martha and her latest endeavors. In the meantime, plan on making a shopping trip to Pure Peru in Black Rock, and spend some time exploring the ever-changing neighborhood. You never know… in a couple of years you might be shopping and eating in Peruvian style on Amherst Street, if Martha continues to create her own slice of Peru in Buffalo.
Pure Peru – Facebook
466 Amherst Street
Buffalo NY 14207
Website: Pure Peru