HAMBURG, N.Y. (WKBW) — Western New Yorkers showed their "Buffalo Strong" spirit during the massive lake-effect snow storm last week - and one restaurant went above and beyond to feed stranded travelers and make sure everyone stayed warm.
The owners of The Original Warehouse on Milestrip Road in Hamburg got rooms at the hotel next door when they saw the weather forecast. At that time, the Bills game was still scheduled to take place in Orchard Park, and they wanted to make sure they were able to make it to the restaurant.
Once the snow started falling, however, the restaurant became a safe haven for stranded travelers forced off the road and into the hotel.
Christopher Schott is from Orchard Park, and was driving back to Pittsburgh when he was forced to get off the road. He got a room at the hotel, and spent days at the Warehouse. He says the owners went above and beyond when it came to taking care of everyone.
"I couldn't thank them enough. I really realize they proactively made a decision to help other people out," said Schott. "They obviously inconvenienced themselves, but they decided they were going to stay open to provide this really critical service. I can't imagine how many people they helped in that time. I was so proud to see how well everybody came together. It was great."
Schott says hotel guests relied on the restaurant, and eventually people on snowmobiles who were out helping stranded travelers learned they could stop by to warm up as well. He reached out to WKBW because he says it's so important to recognize the amazing way the community came together.
"When I was there and coming home I was just thinking - somebody needs to recognize these places that did it - selflessly - to take care of people who were stuck," he said. "It made me really proud of the City of Buffalo and the people."
Warehouse co-owner Mark Whipple spent days at the restaurant - acting as a line cook to make sure everyone was fed. His business partner acted as a bartender and server.
"People were calling us heroes - and I appreciate the nice things they were saying - this is what we do here," explained Whipple. "In our business - we speak to everybody, we talk to everyone. It's just in my DNA that I just want to do this."
Whipple says he thinks between the people at the hotel and the people who stopped in they fed about 200 from Friday to Sunday. Some didn't even have money with them, but the owners said everyone was still taken care of, because that's what you do in situations like this.
"This is how we are. This is Buffalo, New York. City of Good Neighbors. That's how it works," he said.
