While the Buffalo Bills and Sabres have found confounding ways to disappoint year after year, the owner of Downtown Sportscards has found a way to consistently thrive on their merchandise. Owner Cliff Arnold wears his heart on his sleeve, and combines a unique inventory of apparel for Buffalo sports fans — an inventory which includes any major pro sport Buffalo has ever seen. *And for readers of this article, he has a special offer.
Being located in the historical Ellicott Square Building on Main Street might not be the best merchandising region. Downtown Sportscards is on the Main Street side of the building, home also to the Metro Rail, so he doesn’t get the window shoppers that he would on the other side. Still, people within and around the NFL and the NHL seem to let us know that Buffalo itself is a small market, but a market full of heart…which brings us to Cliff.
It’s not the biggest shop, really; it’s tucked neatly under the sloped, marble staircase that leads up to floor two of Ellicott. One of the first things one notices in visiting Downtown Sportscards, is a stool placed in the middle of the room, like an invitation to come in, to sit.
Arnold has found success on Main Street — he’s been in business on Main since 1991, a boom time for Buffalo football merchandise, as many may recall. While those Superbowls have become more a part of history though, Arnold has thrived by employing himself with a small town charm.
“I’ve seen the closing down of AM&A’s, the reopening of AM&A’s, the closing down of AM&A’s,” he quipped, continuing, “The downtown model may be something of a ghost town right now, and it’s pretty hard to find [retail] besides drug stores and lottery tickets and things like that.”
Still, he has provided a successful venture on Main for 18 years, and he knows that the formula to success on Main Street remains as it always has been – a handshake and a darn friendly place to relax, despite hard times. “We’ve done really well here when the teams make the playoffs,” he laughed, “but right now, we’re doing fine.”
One should assume being located “under a stairwell,” downtown, on the side of Main Street that gets little foot traffic… with two teams that can’t seem to make the playoffs… would spell disaster for a family run sports collectibles business.
“You can’t see it (the store) from the active side of Main, you have to come by and see it, but I do have good group of regular customers.”
Hence the stool.
“A lot of guys come in and want to sit and talk about sports, or relax and talk, tell stories, I’ve gotten to know a lot of people pretty well,” he said. “I try to introduce myself to any new customers I see, and I may not get their name right the second time, but I always try.” A second visit, of course, means a whole lot to any retailer.
His old fashioned, relaxed business style takes his customers back, while giving them the chance to buy apparel and other items from pro sports long gone, yet still treasured, like the American Hockey League’s Buffalo Bisons, the NBA’s Braves, and even the Bills of the old AFL.
“Being so far down Main, I am a destination. We don’t have the foot traffic we used to have… Main Street, you know, the foot traffic is there during lunch and breaktime, or during a baseball or hockey game can be good.” A sign of the many offices, but also of the need for more retail.
While I sat on the stool, Arnold let me know that he sees the Bills being able to pull off a 10-6 season this year. “Not that T.O. is going to turn a corner for everybody, but no one is going to be double teaming Lee Evans and everyone will have to play back a step, which opens up the running game.”
The Sabres? “Geez, I don’t know about them,” he said, lamenting the loss of Miller, and subsequently the playoffs this past year. Still, Sabres gear remains a hot seller to go with the season tickets for the team that will play again in October at the nearby HSBC arena.
Despite these teams’ problems, the traffic has continued to come, and for good reason. Try and
find a place in town, or in the ‘burbs, where you can find the old school
Bills, Braves, or Pepsi-Cap Bisons’ gear.
And that stool? It turns out that it
is quite a comfortable place to sit and talk for a minute, or two.
Those interested can find Cliff and Downtown Sportscards at 295 Main Street, by phone at 716.852.0746, and by email using 295downtown@gmail.com.
* As mentioned in the beginning of this article, Arnold is extending a special off out to the readers of Buffalo Rising. Readers can simply mention “Buffalo Rising,” and he will give them a 10% discount.