The first time that I met John Straubinger was during last year’s Buffalo Old Home Week. He told me a story about how he had reconnected with his hometown after many years of being away. During those years, John felt many mixed emotions about living away from Buffalo. When he left, he was relieved to get away from the city that he felt “was going nowhere.” He did come back occasionally to visit friends and family, but Boston was his new home and that’s where he dug in his heels for many years.
While speaking with John, he expressed great anxiety about all of the years when he felt that nobody seemed to care about the city. It was only recently that John began to notice that people did care about his hometown. Of course there have been many residents who have ‘held down the fort’ over the years, but John feels that there is now a vocal contingent that he has been able to tap into while living away from Buffalo. That may be because of new media vehicles, or organizations that have sprung up, or even the city’s sails being filled by winds of change.
At one point during a recent discussion (see video) John eluded to Buffalo being a friendlier place than many bigger cities (including Boston). A similar conversation had struck up a couple of weeks ago when I interviewed Torontonian, Lorne Opler, about our city’s missed marketing opportunities. I think that what these two interviewees are actually referring to is a quality of life that some (not all) people are looking for. John and Lorne (and others) are taking an interest in Buffalo because of the city’s slower pace and reasonable cost of living. There are a ton of people who feel that Buffalo’s speed is too slow. But there are others who feel that the speed is exactly what they are looking for. It’s not a slam against big cities… it’s an acceptance that Buffalo is unique in many ways.
Our city is an incredible place to live for some people – not everyone. It’s nice to hear from individuals as to why they care so deeply for our city. People like John and Lorne are good role models for others who may be taking another look at moving back home… or even moving here for the first time. It’s kind of like a “We’re all in this together” type of thing. Nobody wants to feel that they’re alone when it comes to feeling good about Buffalo.
queenseyes
Newell Nussbaumer is 'queenseyes' - Eyes of the Queen City and Founder of Buffalo Rising. Co-founder Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts. Co-founder Powder Keg Festival that built the world's largest ice maze (Guinness Book of World Records). Instigator behind Emerald Beach at the Erie Basin Marina. Co-creator of Rusty Chain Beer. Instigator of Buffalo Porchfest, and Paint vs. Paint. Founder of The Peddler retro and vintage market on Elmwood. Instigator behind Liberty Hound @ Canalside. Throws The Witches Ball at Statler City, the Hertel Alley Street Art Festival, and The Flutterby Festival. And his latest adventure... FigBuffalo, with the intention of creating a Buffalo United Fashion Front (BUFF). Contact Newell Nussbaumer | Newell@BuffaloRising.com