BUFFALO, N.Y. — Market goers showed their support for Braymiller Market on Thursday, showing up in droves to ensure that their beloved store would not shutter.
Common Council pushback
This comes after the Buffalo Common Council voted unanimously against a measure to approve $563,000 worth of pandemic relief funding to the only market in downtown Buffalo in a June 27 regular meeting.
Supporters of the funding, including Mayor Byron Brown, worry that without Braymiller, downtown Buffalo would become a food desert, leaving residents without a feasible place to get food.
Other people such as Council President Darius Pridgen claim the funds were originally meant to help small businesses and think the money is better suited elsewhere.
"[The] puzzle isn't complete until all the pieces are put in place," Brown said. "A healthy market in downtown Buffalo is one of the pieces that have to be in place for a healthy city."
Customer support for local market
Regardless of sides, after a unanimous no vote, customers showed up for a "cash mob," with Brown and local downtown leaders joining in support of Braymiller owner Stuart Green.
For one customer, Braymiller is vital.
"I get all my fresh produce here," Judy Falkowski said. "There aren't long lines, I don't have to fight my way up and down the aisle with a shopping cart. It's just quick and easy."
Downtown Buffalo's only grocery store is in danger of going under due to falling behind during the pandemic.
"We started out a little bit further behind from where we expected because of the pandemic," Green said. "So we got to kind of make up for that so we can continue to move forward."
Mayor Brown claimed that the small businesses downtown account for 17 percent of the city's tax base, and it is vital to keep them in business.
"What would happen if Braymiller Market closes is another vacant building in downtown Buffalo," Brown said. "My solution was to work to bring a market to downtown buffalo in the first place, which is why I am fighting so hard to maintain this market."
'It would be horrible if they don't stay here'
Fighting against a unanimous vote will prove an uphill battle, but if customers continue to show up they way they did, their market may not close.
"It would be horrible if they don't stay here," Falkowski said.
Falkowksi has lived downtown for just over three years, and she gets all of her fresh produce from Braymiller.
"Without Braymiller they [customers] would have to have a car to begin with," Falkowski said. "It's just less convenient and more time in a car."
The closest supermarket to Braymiller is Tops in East Side and Wegmans near Buffalo State. The likelihood of a food desert is high if Braymiller closed, as Mayor Brown pointed out.
Customer support was high Thursday as there were people on every aisle grabbing their favorite produce, snack, or deli sandwich. Market goers were doing their part to ensure their favorite store did not check out.
"It's crazy," Green said. "To see the support that we're getting when we need it the most is just wild."