Why Buffalo Is Built for the Anti-Amazon Economy - Buffalo Rising
Across the country, an economic counter-movement has been gaining momentum, one built not on fast shipping and algorithm-fed impulse buys, but on sharing, reusing, and buying local. I know I feel the squeeze right now. Grocery bills are climbing higher every week. Seems like I can’t get out of a grocery store for less than $100 per bag, and I’m a single person. It seems just easier to “just order it online,” but that’s also increasingly costly, both to your wallet
Across the country, an economic counter-movement has been gaining momentum, one built not on fast shipping and algorithm-fed impulse buys, but on sharing, reusing, and buying local. I know I feel the squeeze right now. Grocery bills are climbing higher every week. Seems like I can’t get out of a grocery store for less than $100 per bag, and I’m a single person. It seems just easier to “just order it online,” but that’s also increasingly costly, both to your wallet and the environment. But we are resourceful, and luckily, WNY is home to a dense web of flea markets, farmers’ markets, antique shops, consignment stores, neighborhood giving groups, and tool-lending nonprofits that together form a genuine alternative economy. One where your dollar stretches further, your neighborhood gets stronger, and less stuff ends up in a landfill. Let’s start with the markets. There are literally dozens of community farmers’ markets, including theClinton Bailey Farmers Market, which has been a daily institution for decades, open 8 am to 5 pm, centered on fresh local produce. The Peddleron the corner of Elmwood and West Ferry runs Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm, with vintage furniture, clothing, jewelry, and handmade goods. And just announced, a new farmers’ market is coming to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park this summer. Check out the spotlight section below, or clickherefor more information. This is the first time a farmers’ market will be set in the Park. For sheer scale,Antique World & Flea Marketin Clarence is a destination. Three indoor antique co-ops are open six days a week year-round, while the outdoor flea market runs every Saturday and Sunday from 8 am to 4 pm, May through October. Hundreds of dealers offer everything from Victorian jewelry to old tools to fresh produce. The first Sunday of each month brings theGreat American Garage Sale; the third Sunday is Super Sunday, with even more vendors. And if you want proof this city takes garage sales seriously, look no further than the Gigantic Kenmore Garage Sale, organized every year by theKenmore Village Improvement Society (KVIS). Last month, over 190 households simultaneously threw open their garage doors across the village. Hertel Home Consignment Beyond the markets, Buffalo’s consignment and secondhand scene is thriving. Hertel Home Consignmentspecializes in furniture and home décor, with a lot of solid, well-made pieces. Second Chicoffers a steady rotation of clothing and accessories. For families,Best Dressed Kidshas been one of the largest children’s consignment shops in WNY for over 20 years. AndBuffalo ReUsekeeps building materials, fixtures, and architectural salvage out of the waste stream and into the hands of homeowners at a fraction of retail cost. Perhaps the most radical, and most human, part of this ecosystem costs nothing at all. The Buy Nothing Project has taken hold across Buffalo’s neighborhoods through hyper-local Facebook groups, where neighbors give away items they no longer need to someone right down the street. TheElmwood Village Buy Nothinggroup launched in 2018 and has grown steadily since, now with 3,200+ members. TheKenmore/Tonawanda grouphas more than 7,000 members and sees items like snowblowers, furniture, garden furniture, and clothing change hands freely every week. There are dozens of these groups across WNY, organized by neighborhood so that what’s given stays genuinely local. The premise is simple: before you buy something new, ask if someone nearby has one to spare. Before you throw something away, offer it to a neighbor. If you’re not in a group, consider joining!A member of the Kenmore/Tonawanda group is giving away a deconstructed deckHomeowners in particular have a remarkable resource inThe Tool Library, a nonprofit that has grown from a small storefront into a region-wide institution. With over 5,000 tools available to borrow, membership opens up access to everything from power drills to tile saws, tools most people only need once or twice, without the cost of buying or the guilt of a garage full of equipment you rarely use. Membership is open to residents of all eight WNY counties. The Tool Library also hostsDare to Repair Cafés, where volunteers will try to fix your broken appliances, electronics, and household items for free. DIY Workshop: Window Screen RepairEvery dollar spent at a local market, every item pulled from a Buy Nothing group, every tool borrowed instead of bought is a small vote for a different kind of economy, based on neighborhoods and communities. What are your favorite ways to thrift, save, and give in WNY? Email me atJessica@buffalorising. com