Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - As the 2022 Buffalo Bills season has come to end, Buffalo-centric stores and businesses that prosper from the hype remain optimistic about retaining business in the offseason months ahead.
"The excitement for the team obviously just drops off a cliff, but business doesn't die," says Scott Celani, Vice President of the Totally Buffalo stores. "You get a little slow down and then it comes back."
While the Totally Buffalo stores have many items that are Bills themed, there is much more to the stores than just the Bills. "We have a lot of great local vendors who don't just do sports stuff. It's about the region. You know, we have some vendors who do stuff related to Albright Knox and other different landmarks throughout the Buffalo area and more, it's not just about sports," Celani says.
However, Buffalo loves sports. So, why not divert your focus on some current Buffalo success that is currently playing out? Have you seen the Buffalo Sabres recently? Even though they have their losing streaks, they have had a series of impressive overtime wins.
"The Sabres are doing pretty well and on the brink of playoff contention here," says Jason Lake with Zuba Zone 716 Sports Memorabilia & Trading Cards, which has been operating for two years on Transit Rd. in Depew. The Buffalo Bandits are doing very well, also. "So hopefully, you know, you rely on those two teams that kind of carry it through the off-season."
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O'Neill's Stadium Inn in Orchard Park was certainly packed on Bills game days, being a couple hundred yards away from Highmark Stadium and according to O'Neill's owner Peggy Cerrone, it's always great when you get the visiting teams that like to travel.
"When you have out of town fans, they eat a lot more. They have nowhere to go. They're not going to go back to their hotel and sit so they they stay out later and order more food. It's always great when the away team has traveling fans."
Cerrone also notes that the playoff push was nice while it lasted. According to Cerrone, restaurants in January typically see a decline in business. However, Cerrone tells WBEN that they will be extending their menu once again, as they have absorbed the recipes of a local pizzeria that went out of business.
"There was a neighborhood pizzeria that went out of business a few years back, Pino's Pizzeria. The owner came to us and asked us if we wanted his recipe and some of his equipment. So we thought, 'Well, why not?' My husband always wanted to do pizza and it just seemed to just fall in place that way, so we're very excited about that."
Cerrone expects that their updated menu will be launching in a couple of weeks time as they have already expanded their kitchen, as an attempt to keep her business new and fresh during the Buffalo Bills offseason.