Teaming up with sports: Bills, Sabres good for Grand Island businesses

Article and Photos by Karen Carr Keefe

Senior Contributing Writer

A number of Grand Island businesses have found that showcasing the Buffalo Bills and Sabres helps them achieve goals and score success at the cash register.

Hometown merchants plan promotions, menus and merchandise to appeal to consumers who are also sports fans.

We touched base with the Bridgeview Tavern, Tops Friendly Markets, and the Island Shoppe to find out how they continue to make big plays for customers via sports strategies, just like quarterback Josh Allen makes big plays for the Bills.

Staff and customers at the Bridgeview Tavern, 971 E. River Road, gather to watch the Buffalo Bills game Monday night. The Bills beat the New York Jets 23-20. From left, foreground, are Bridgeview owner Mike Carr; Colby Okelberry; bartender and server Forrest Carr, son of Mike Carr; server Mikayla Mallare; customer Josiah Meyer; Mike’s son, Hayden Carr; Allie NeGron; and bartender Cody Okelberry. In the back row, from left, are customer Mark Vallee, Chef Sarah Mallare; and customers Rich Daubney and Dick Planavsky.

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Bridgeview Tavern relishes role as sports bar

Buffalo Bills and the Bridgeview Tavern go together like wings and hot sauce.

When the Bills play, no matter what the day, the hour, or the venue, the Bridgeview Tavern will be open. Owner Mike Carr and his team have just celebrated their second year in business at 971 E. River Road.

Their patrons come for the food, the drink, the atmosphere, the camaraderie. But it all comes together in a special way when it’s game night, the TVs are all on – and the team is winning.

It’s a solid combination for Carr, who also owns the Village Inn, at 1488 Ferry Road, just 3 minutes south of the Bridgeview.

He noted that there’s a lot of interest in the Sabres right now, as well as the Bills. Since the Village Inn is closed on Sundays when most sports games are played, the Bridgeview is a natural venue for fans to gather.

“The Tavern is open for them all. We get a pretty good crowd for the Bills games. People like to come out and support them,” Carr said. The Bridgeview tries to stay in its own sweet spot. “We do business when we can do business.”

Carr said the appeal of Bills games is more consistent and not dependent on the weather. Some customers are regular attendees, but there are always new faces here and there.

“It seems a lot of people are connected with the real-life drama of the team,” he quipped.

He gave a nod to other Island restaurants that thrive during Bills season.

“The Brick Oven (2457 Grand Island Blvd.) and Say Cheese (1771 Love Road) have always supplied the house for some entertainment. We’re just catching our own ‘South Grand Island niche,’ ” Carr said.

“It’s kind of a community thing. We’re there, if you want to stop by, say hello. We’re happy to be there for the public, and they seem to embrace us, as well.”

As far as menu specials for the Bills fans at the Bridgeview, there’s a definite trend.

“Ever since we opened the tavern two years ago, we’ve sold a lot of chicken wings,” Carr said. “It’s just always a go-to, and if it’s successful, we stay with what works. The wing of the week has been quite interesting.”

 The Bridgeview also does special parties, such as one this past weekend, welcoming a serviceman home.

“A young gentleman completed his four years and he’s having – well, he doesn’t know it yet – but he’s having a surprise party,” Carr said. “We also do baby showers and different events.”

On game night, the chef may add in a soup or a smash burger or other specials. The goal is to “get out tasty food in a quick fashion so people aren’t held up from watching the next play.”

Carr spoke admiringly of his staff that handles the game nights with confidence in a sometimes-demanding situation. “They are a hardworking team that deserves praise.”

Among those getting tasty food out to the fans are several of the Carr family and friends as employees. On staff in Mike Carr’s family are: Forrest Carr, Christine Carr; sister-in-law, Sarah Mallare; and her daughter, Mikayla Mallare.

“We employ a lot of friends and family, that’s for sure,” Carr said.

RJ Lindsay is family, friend and a happy customer of the Bridgeview: “It’s an awesome place to go to – very entertaining. I like the fact that Mike is hosting the Bridgeview and brings family and friends together. It’s pretty nice – I like it.”

That family atmosphere carries through to customers who become friends.

Chef Sarah Mallare plans menus with a special pizzazz. You might call it comfort food that has a unique twist.

“We are a family-owned and -operated establishment, and when you walk in the door we want you to feel like you are home,” she said.

“We have made changes to the menu, making sure there is something offered to everyone. We have really worked hard at making unique flavors for our wings, an example being our spicy dill pickle, which is a crowd favorite. We have added more than your typical bar food, featuring seasonal salad specials, inventive specials like our Guinness pot roast, and recently featured our Oktoberfest specials, which continuously sold out.”

“One thing that sets us apart from the rest is everything is made from scratch, down to our salad dressings. We also feature our in-house-made desserts weekly with unique, one-of-a-kind flavors of our cheesecakes, pies and cakes.”

“When you come through our door, we want you to feel like you are a part of our family, which is awesome in itself being able to work together. I get to work with my sister, daughter and nephew, as well as Mike, my favorite brother-in-law!” Mallare said.

“We strive to give great service and get to know you on a personal level. We appreciate the community’s support, especially in these trying economic times. We will continue to evolve and put out great comfort food.”

Mikayla Mallare has been a server at the Bridgeview Tavern since it opened in 2022. Game nights see her working hard and enjoying the excitement of the crowd and the Bills game.

“After working here for two years, I feel a great sense of accomplishment and growth. I've learned a lot about customer service, teamwork, and the restaurant industry,” she said. “I’ve built strong relationships with both my colleagues and our customers. Getting to work alongside my family, has been nothing but a joy. I look forward to the next two years of the Bridgeview Tavern.”

Mike Maio, store manager for Tops on Grand Island, poses with a poster of Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen amid a display of Bills merchandise that can be purchased in the store, at 2140 Grand Island Blvd.

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Tops gears up with tailgating supplies

Tops Grand Island Store Manager Mike Maio says promoting the Buffalo Bills and Sabres through the store’s offerings of food and merchandise is good business.

“Because Buffalo is as big of a sports town as they are, certainly everybody gets excited, especially when they’re doing better … and even as they get into playoffs, everybody gets excited, in particular when it’s home games,” he said.

“We certainly get additional traffic. A lot of Canadian traffic comes in for the games. Probably the biggest aspect of it is for our stores to be ready in here for the customer – for their tailgating parties and their home parties. So, we do a lot of things in store to try and collaborate with the different teams, in particular, our vendor partners,” Maio said.

“We proudly support all of our hometown teams and just recently announced that we are the official grocer of the Buffalo Sabres,” said Kathy Sautter, director of corporate communications and public relations for Tops Friendly Markets. She noted Tops ensures “that our community has everything they need to support their tailgating needs whether cheering them on from the comfort of their homes or at the stadium before a home game.”

Maio said Tops’ official sponsorship with the hockey team gives the store more latitude to do things such as making cakes with Sabres logos and doing advertising at the rink.

For the Bills, the current promotion is the “Quarterback Blitz.” When shoppers purchase participating vendor items, they get a quarter back – and they add up. That is, when you collect enough, you get a coupon toward your next purchase.

Department managers work as a team to incorporate sports themes for their section of the supermarket at 2140 Grand Island Blvd., Maio said. “We blend it together and do display themes going into the weekend and get all the goods they’re going to be partying with, to make it easy – one stop in and out,”

 Foodwise, Tops gears up for game time, whether it’s sub platters, beer, pop or snacks – including Bills chips, tortillas and more. For specialty orders, there’s The Tops Great Entertaining program and the Carry Out Cafés.

Also in store, there’s an extensive line of sports-related gear – shirts, jerseys, hats – for the Bills, Sabres and the teams from Grand Island High School, as well.

The customer reaction is positive, Maio said: “Everybody gets excited for sports. It’s a great time of the year.”

He added the Bills and the Sabres produce a boost in business, not only for Tops, but other businesses, as well: “You just look at the local stores that sell all of their items and their gear.”

The Island Shoppe owner Josephine “Jo Ann” Ciffa and her husband, Vincent, behind the front counter. The shop, at 1966 Whitehaven Road, has a wide variety of Bills and Sabres clothing and mementoes.

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The Island Shoppe has the merch

“Probably a good 75% to 85% of our merchandise is Buffalo sports-related. And I keep adding them,” said Josephine Ciffa, owner of The Island Shoppe at 1966 Whitehaven Road. The store stocks Bills and Sabres apparel, jewelry and keepsakes, but the Bills merchandise is the predominant attraction.

The Island Shoppe will soon see an influx of Bills hoodies and crew-neck sweatshirts for sale for the holidays.

“The hoodies are a hit” for the Christmas gift-giving season, Ciffa said.

The store even has a new shipment of handmade Zubaz print purses coming in.

Ciffa said that, when customers come into the store, they say, “There’s so much to look at!”

Some of the apparel and gear is official Bills / NFL merchandise. Other selections are handmade by local vendors. Those bear phrases such as “Buffalo football” or “Buffalo Mafia.”

Ciffa said the store is developing a relationship with the Buffalo Bandits, too. “Because, once their season comes to an end – and this is two years in a row, now, that they become champions – people are coming in here looking for stuff.”

The store now has Bandits earrings for sale.

“Buffalo, New York, supports our sports teams so much!” Ciffa said.

She noted that, after customers make a sports-related purchase, they walk out saying, “Go Bills! – that’s their goodbye – I love it!”

“My season actually starts in July, when they open up Bills training camp,” Ciffa said. Customers respond to the fortunes of the Bills, Sabres and Bandits. “The better they do, the more they (the customers) want.”

She’s happy to provide the availability of Buffalo sports merchandise in the community.

“It would be nice if there were more shops,” Ciffa said. “Hopefully in the future. The whole street – it would be nice if it was all retail. It would be very beneficial.”

Ciffa summed up a common feeling among Buffalo-area sports fans: “When the Bills do win, there’s a wonderful energy in the store. Everybody’s happy. But when they do lose, everybody just kind of walks with their head down.”

Happily, although fans may sulk for a while, there’s always hope and a chance to say, “Go Bills!”

 

For more information, go to:

Bridgeview Tavern:

716-775-9650

https://www.facebook.com/p/Bridgeview-Tavern-100086709130054/

 

Tops Grand Island

716-775-1138

http://www.topsmarkets.com/

 

The Island Shoppe

716-471-0159

https://theislandshoppe.com/

https://www.facebook.com/GrandIslandShopping/