BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Step inside Fattey Beer Company and you'll quickly learn why the bottle shop and tap room has become a go-to staple for beer enthusiasts.
"Fattey Beer is community, it's beer, beer is community, you can drink it here or take it to go" said Nik Fattey, Founder of Fattey Beer Company. "We have ciders, seltzers, wine, non-alcoholic drinks, and surprisingly a really good chicken sandwich."
It's a model that has worked with Fattey Beer Company quickly expanding to eight locations since 2019. Despite the success, Fattey says he faces the same challenges as any small business owner.
"The rules change all the time, the laws change all the time. We have to think on our feet. We don't always have access to resources," said Fattey.
And that's where Buffalo Niagara Partnership is stepping in with a new, free resource designed specifically to fuel the growth of Western New York small businesses. It's called BNP Pro Free.
"46 percent of new jobs that get created in our community, and throughout the country, are from small businesses," said Dottie Gallagher, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership. "We have a lot of small businesses that have been created that need support. We really feel like this is what that will help accomplish."
The BNP Pro Free membership will be made available to local businesses with five employees or fewer, as well as locally owned and operated bars and restaurants of all sizes. BNP Pro Free waives the traditional fee for small companies and offers complimentary access to important resources including workshops and networking events.
"They get to be with other entrepreneurs and businesses that are potential customers and potential partners and can share knowledge. We strongly believe in the power of networking as well. This helps them plug into that and takes the barrier away," said Gallagher.
You can learn more and apply for BNP Pro Free membership here.
Gallagher hopes that BNP Pro Free shows that all businesses, regardless of size, belong at the Buffalo Niagara Partnership. It's a message well received by Fattey as he looks to the future of Fattey Beer Company.
"Just the idea of learning from others who are in the same spot, best practices, that's great," said Fattey.. "I'm trying to listen more and learn more from others who are doing great. The size of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, they have huge companies. You have to grow at some point. How do you go from point A to point Z."
