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Local businesses thriving off the Bills playoff boost

From sports apparel stores to pet shops and bakeries, local businesses are benefiting from the Bills playoff run.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Demand for Bills gear this late in January hasn't been this high in 25 years. From sports apparel stores to bakeries and even pet shops, the Bills being in the playoffs is good for local small businesses. 

At Sports Obsession in the Walden Galleria, they've been through more than 700 Bills jerseys this season. Manager Joey Finlay told 2 On Your Side they probably could have sold double that, if they had been able to get more inventory from the NFL and Nike. Demand is particularly high for Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs jerseys. 

The sales are helping offset those they've lost in the past year, with no Canadian customers or fans visiting town for regular season games.

"January 2021 is a January that we have never seen before, and as long as they keep playing and keep going far we won't have to worry," Finlay said. 

Over at My Cuzin Vintage on Elmwood Avenue in Allentown, gear from the glory days has always been popular. But Jim Kelly jerseys, Super Bowl jackets, and Zubaz have a new meaning now, . 

"Especially during the hard times too, people just wanted anything to hold onto, those winning memories." Co-Owner Derrek Hoffman said. "So now it's cool to see that we're making new memories too this year."

Down the street at the Buffalo Barkery on Allen Street they might have some of the only Bills jerseys left in stock in this city - for the four-legged fan. 

"We have the Bills jerseys, we have Allen jerseys in only extra small," Co-Owner Maggie Lamparelli told 2 On Your Side. "We also make Buffalo Bills cakes and bones." 

The Barkery recently moved to their new location, just steps away from the "Josh Alllentown" sign at Main and Allen, a favorite spot for people to take pictures with their pets. 

"Dog owners like to include their pets in everything they do," Lamparelli said. "We're excited city right now and we just really want to include our pets in the excitement as well." 

If you're looking for Bills sweets for humans, Fairy Cakes Cupcakery in North Buffalo has you covered. They normally close for the first two weeks in January, but every week the Bills win means another week of their pop-up shop on Saturdays, featuring pumping out cookies, cakes, and hundreds of hot chocolate bombs, which they're renamed "Beasley Balls." 

"I have cousins from Baltimore and one of them had been heckling us all of last week, my brother and I," said co-owner Maureen Torpey. "When he was very disappointed at the end of the game, I said, John, just think of it as it's really helping out my small business." 

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