BUFFALO (WBEN) - Easter season at the Broadway Market is right around the corner, and the theme for vendors this year compared to this time last year appears to be quite appropriate - hope.
"We anticipate to do a little bit better than last year," said Christine Potts of Potts Deli & Grille. "We're open to 50% (capacity), whereas last year we were closed completely. Not like Easters of the past for sure, but we're hopeful."
"I'm kind of hoping we might go back to what we used to have because last year was a total washout," said Alfred Myers of Famous Horseradish. "There was nobody here - even on Good Friday it was dead - so this year I'm hoping that more people come back."
Despite the renewed hope, along with declining COVID rates and increasing vaccination numbers, this year's Easter season at the Market will still look completely different from a non-pandemic shopping season.
"What you're going to see is a lot of social distancing practice," said Kody Omphalius, co-owner of We R Nuts and KO's Kettle Corn. "Our priority is the safety of our staff, our employees, our customers, and of course, ourselves. After that, we're going to try to give the customers the best Easter experience we can with all of that being our first priority."
Easter vendors open shop starting Saturday. Adam Kelly serves as the manager of Kelly's Country Store in Grand Island. They take some of the store to the Broadway Market as a seasonal vendor practically every year - something they've done for several decades.
When asked what they expect from a business perspective, Kelly said that's a difficult question to answer.
"At this point, we know it's not going to be what it was, but that's okay," said Kelly. "The numbers are going to be down here a little bit, but if that's what's needed to keep people safe, then we're ready to go along with those mandates. I think people count on us to be here, so we want to be here for them."
