Lifelong Broadway Market Shopper, Mary Lipinski, 2006
As immigrants flocked to the east side of Buffalo in the late 1800's, they looked for the continuation of old world customs in their new and unfamiliar environment. While they wanted to enter the mainstream of city life, they also sought to preserve their Eastern European traditions and heritage. The Broadway Market would prove to serve these needs quite well.
Started by a group of citizens on a city donated parcel at 999 Broadway in 1888, the Broadway Market quickly became a community meeting place--a place ideal for combining business with socializing and for sharing with one another the latest in gossip and news from the old world.
As the Market expanded to cover an entire block, bordered by Broadway, Lombard, and Gibson Streets, the area grew to become Buffalo's second largest business section. Here could be found such exotic delicacies as dates from Africa, black olives from Spain, cheeses from Italy, smoked salmon, jellied eels, rare wines and Kosher concoctions, among other unusual and fine products.
Although the Market site has undergone-numerous changes over time, three different physical structures in fact, the old-fashioned concept of selling farm fresh, exotic and unusual products here has remained unchanged since the Market's inception.
This postcard image of the second building to house the Broadway Market was torn down in the 1950s to make way for the Market's current home. Click image to visit Market's Official website
The first Market structure burned down at the turn of the century. It was replaced by a high ceiling building, without heat, but twice as large as the original market. A third structure built in 1956, is the market's current home, and has 90,000-square feet of retailing with two levels of free parking for 1,000 cars. In the mid-1980's the City undertook a multi-million dollar renovation of the building which improved both lighting and access.
The freshest Polish Sausage in Buffalo can be found 12-months a year at Buffalo's Broadway Market
Back wall of the Broadway Market, 2006
Start your day at the Market with breakfast at Perison's
Month
Date
Year
Broadway Market History
4
2
1880
Broadway Market begins operations in Buffalo, mainly serving the immigrant Polish-American community in the Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood with fresh produce and meat
4
6
1894
Broadway Market is housed in its first permanent structure, on Broadway near Fillmore Avenue in Buffalo's Polish-American community; the Market began operation Apr 2 1880
4
25
1947
Paul Redlinski Sr. opens his first meat market, at Stand 23 in Buffalo's Broadway Market
1948
Xavier Wojciechowicz Sr., 35, a Polish immigrant, begins operating Xavier's Meats in Buffalo's Broadway Market
3
25
1948
Supermarket and warehouse opens at the northeast corner of Broadway and Bailey in Buffalo, built for a million dollars by Danahy-Faxon Stores
7
23
1954
Groundbreaking for a new facility and parking ramp at the Broadway Market in Buffalo takes place, to cost two million dollars
7
20
1956
Broadway Market begins operating in a long-awaited new building at 999 Broadway in Buffalo; a new parking ramp above the market, with a capacity of 1100 cars, would open Sep 20 1956, built at a cost of 1.6 million dollars
9
20
1956
Broadway Market parking ramp opens, with a capacity of 1100 cars; built at a cost of 1.6 million dollars; a renovated Market had opened Jul 14 1956
7
23
1963
Buffalo Common Council rejects a bid of two and a half million dollars for the Broadway Market
7
27
2002
Paul Redlinski and Sons meat market closes its original location in the Broadway Market after 55 years, but the business would continue at its Walden Avenue location in Cheektowaga, and with internet orders
The second building to house the Broadway Market in the early 50s prior to the building of the current structure in 1956.
