Mel visited Rustic Buffalo Artisan’s Market in North Tonawanda. Rustic Buffalo is made up of over 110 artisans. John Pirrone, co-owner of Rustic Buffalo Market says we have come together and we created this amazing shopping experience. He says Rustic Buffalo has artisans that do glassware and do all types of signs, we have apparel, we have a metal artist and a concrete artist, any type of artist you can think of we have it, and it’s just the most amazing thing; it’s all eclectic and it is all home-grown which is what I love the most.
Ashley Erickson, owner of the Vintage Boutique @ Rustic Buffalo says everyone creates for the most part their own items and it’s a wonderful thing when you can have a story behind the product you bought from an artisan.
The idea for Rustic Buffalo came out of COVID. John Pirrone says we had so many friends who were not able to sell their goods, not able to sell their wares, and were completely shut down because of no craft fairs, no holiday fairs or anything like that. John and his business partner Scott thought they could open up a store and create something that is totally unique for these people and that is exactly what they did.
John says we are not only a shopping experience, we’re a destination. He says people come here for hours and we need something such as the café, such gourmet kitchen for people to be here. The cafe has fresh sandwiches, fresh pasta salads that are brought in on a daily basis. John says they aren’t made on site, but they are brought in every single day. Everything is fresh in their bake shop, Italian bread, cookies, brownies and they are going to have the famous cocoa bombs coming in. John says cocoa bombs are a hit during the Christmas season.
When asked how she likes being part of this community, Ashley says she absolutely loves it. She says I think we all have all connected in a way that we’ve almost became a family and we all kind of lean on each other in support but it’s so wonderful because now more than ever, we need that, so it’s a beautiful thing here.
Rustic Buffalo Artisan Market is located at 6610 Shawnee Road in North Tonawanda.
For more information visit rusticbuffalodecor.com
