The Broadway Market

The Broadway Market is 127 years old.

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.

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.

Famed for its ethnic old world shopping atmosphere, the Broadway Market's fresh food merchant base is comprised of family-owned, family-operated butcher shops, poultry stands, fruit/vegetable stands and bakeries.

The Market features candy shops, delis, and restaurants. There are also assorted sundry shops and service centers which serve the Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood.

Season: Year Round

Market Hours:

Monday - Saturday, 8am - 5pm

Location: 999 Broadway St Buffalo, NY 14212