Who We Are

James and Mary Chapman, along with Mary's sisters Helen Villella and Rose Marvin, built Widewaters Snack Bar in 1961. Their specialties were clams and Italian sausage. James also built the house next door, which is where they lived until they sold the restaurant in 1972 to John Saraf Jr.  

John Saraf Jr. changed the name to Widewater's Drive-In and he introduced WNY to the curly fry. In 1975, ownership was conveyed to Widewaters, Inc. which consisted of John and his brothers Theodore and Robert. One of the features they added to the property at that time was a miniature golf course. In 1980, Rose M. Marvin and Helen J. Villella sold the adjacent land parcel to the Saraf family. The restaurant and property stayed in the Saraf family for more than 30 years. 

In 2006, new owners Marty Oliveri and Lou Antonotchi took over the running of this beloved Lockport landmark. They owned it for 7 years until the flood of 2013 forced them to close the doors. Fortunately for Lockport, Tim Mulvey and James Kane purchased the property on June 30, 2015. They restored the buildings after the flood and reopened as Widewaters on the Canal. James Kane owned and ran the restaurant for 5 years. In January, 2020, he sold the properties to Brandon and Lindsay Marvin.  

We have renamed the restaurant Marvins at Widewaters. We are looking forward to continuing the progress that Mr. Kane made here and to carry on the legacy started in part by Brandon's great aunt Rose Marvin. Our goal is to really make this a place where families and community can come together. We hope to see new and old friends this season!