BUFFALO, N.Y. — The closure of Braymiller Market in downtown Buffalo is expected any day, according to Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency (BURA) officials who were grilled by Common Council Members on Tuesday.
After three years on Ellicott Street, the area's only grocery store announced on Dec. 6 that it would close, despite multiple attempts to save it, including the approval of a $500,000 forgivable loan in July 2023.
The supermarket was a high priority for former Mayor Byron Brown and it took nearly a decade for his administration to accomplish the goal.
Acting Mayor Christopher Scanlon said at a press conference for the closure that he stood by the attempted bailout and indicated that the city did not plan to reclaim the loan, which did not sit well with the council.
Ellicott District Council Member Leah Halton-Pope sought to clarify whether the loan will or will not be paid back and inquire about the future of the building in her district.
As previously stated, BURA officials said Tuesday that Braymiller struggled after opening in September 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic, as downtown struggled to bring back visitors.
As several Council Members noted however there were plenty of other businesses that were forced to close for the same reasons, but did not receive half a million dollars.
"To go through this charade that someone says oh we're not going to ask for this money back, why shouldn't we? It's the taxpayers, it's still in our coffers, it's still our responsibility and we should take that money and use it for other businesses," said University District Council Member Rasheed N.C. Wyatt.
"They told us it was post-COVID and people aren't going back downtown and that's one of the reasons and then they say we're going to hire additional people and we did everything we possibly could to help this business," said Niagara District Council Member David Rivera.
Council Member Mitch Nowakowski inquired who would own the property at 225 Ellicott when the store does close. BURA indicated that the building would still be owned by the separate LLC from Braymiller in Hamburg that was set up to open it and take out a mortgage.
This made several council members wary about the city assuming ownership as it would add to their expenses instead of providing tax revenue. The council quashed rumors about the building being used for "public safety" and said they are committed to bringing a different grocer downtown.
Halton-Pope also peppered BURA with questions about the $500,000 loan. She along with Wyatt and Rivera wants Braymiller to pay it back.
"They didn't clarify it at [the closing announcement] which we have it on the record now that there is a loan committee that has to be consulted first. They make recommendations first and that was not shared with the public at the time," Halton-Pope told 2 On Your Side.
It remains unclear when BURA's loan committee will make its decision regarding Braymiller, but council members said they are determined to get the money back and redistribute it.