Downtown Buffalo’s Only Grocery Store On The Verge Of Closing

Several businesses nationwide have had difficulty recovering since the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2021. Over the last few years, millions of Americans who lost their jobs could get back to work, but the nation's economy has suffered due to rising product costs due to inflation and supply chain issues.

The Empire State has not been immune to these factors, as cities like Buffalo have seen several businesses shut their doors. Now, while unemployment numbers look good, the long-term impacts of what happened during and after COVID-19 are evident. If you need an example of this, you don't need to look any further than downtown Buffalo's only grocery store, as it seems they may be shutting their doors any day.

READ MORE: City of Buffalo May Use Federal Stimulus To Fill Budget Deficit

According to WKBW-TV's reporting, Braymiller Market, located on the corner of Clinton and Ellicott Streets in downtown Buffalo, may close as soon as next week.

The grocery store opened in 2021 after the City of Buffalo planned a housing development and commercial plaza with more than 200 affordable rental units and a grocery store. The idea of a grocery store seemed to make sense as more people were moving into the city's central business district. However, the pandemic forced many workers out of the downtown core as companies shifted to remote work during the heights of COVID-19.

Even though the pandemic has ended, downtown has not returned to normal, and the crowds of people who would potentially frequent downtown stores have not returned. This, of course, impacts businesses like Braymiller that rely on people shopping to sustain themselves.

Last year, Braymiller Market asked the city for some financial support, potentially using funds from the American Rescue Plan. Even though the City of Buffalo has used most of the more than $300 million it received from the American Rescue Plan to cover its own budget shortfalls, government officials did approve a nearly $600,000 loan for the company. Unfortunately, it seems that these funds won't be enough to keep the grocery store afloat.

Details surrounding this story are still developing, so we will keep you updated as more information becomes available.