Will downtown ever see another grocery store within its footprint?
The short answer: Maybe.
In the wake of the one year anniversary that marked the closing of the Braymiller Market, no one has given up on the hope that downtown could welcome and financially sustain a grocery store.
But, the path to seeing that happen is not an easy one to navigate.
"To this day, I still believe another downtown grocery store could make it," said Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon. "There is certainly a need for one."
While downtown has welcomed more apartment and condo dwellers with more than 3,000 units developed and largely filled, with more in the city's economic pipeline, a store would still need a larger customer base.
In the post-Covid world, downtown has at least 20,000 less daily office workers. Office workers were a key part of Braymiller's business model.
"Losing that base hurt," said Kyle Ciminelli, Ciminelli Real Estate president.
Buffalo native and national retail analyst Burt Flickinger III, Strategic Resource Group managing director, says there are ways that downtown could see a grocery store financially survive.
"It is not the death of all hope," Flickinger said.
The development plan would rely on a deep-pocketed operator who understands a store may take more than a few years to be financially solvent.
The plan would also require the store to be specialty destination offering food items that are unique and attractive to shoppers. Not necessarily high-end pricing but unique that goes beyond just selling milk and eggs.
"You want to drive people in," Flickinger said.
Meanwhile, Ciminelli said the vacant Braymiller building on Ellicott Street is attracting interest from retailers, restaurants and, even an entertainment-themed party. No deals are imminent.
There was even at least one grocery store operator who toured the building.
"There is some level of interest," Ciminelli said.