Shoppers by the thousands are stopping by Buffalo's venerable Broadway Market today.
Good Friday is traditionally the busiest day of the year for market vendors. The stands selling meats, baked goods, and butter lambs are the most popular, but there are also some new vendors who say they're enjoying some success.
Even though it was 9:30 a.m., several patrons were tasting wines at the Chateau Buffalo Cider House and Winery booth. Its owner Carl Schmitter says they've had a presence at The Broadway Market each weekend since last October. Schmitter says he's been able to introduce his wines to new customers.
"We've developed a following with a certain wine that we make. We've named it after The Broadway Market, actually. It's called 999 Broadway, which is the address here. We just came out with a 998 wine, too, which symbolizes the old Sattler's department store. Those have been very popular," said Schmitter.
Many of the permanent vendors depend on the weeks before Easter to sustain them over the course of the year when the crowds are smaller.
"I shop here all year round. I'm always here. It's Easter season and we come here for the crowd and the people that are in here. It's exciting. It reminds me of when I was younger. This was what it was like everyday, almost, at the Broadway Market," said shopper Ted Kniazuk.
There are extended hours at the Broadway Market both today and tomorrow for holiday shoppers. The market is open until 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.