Mayor Byron W. Brown, and partners at Buffalo Urban Development Corporation (BUDC), Buffalo Place and Working for Downtown are hoping to find the next fleet of pop-up entrepreneurs to fill a vacant commercial space in Downtown Buffalo. The team is expecting to hear from small businesses that are looking to follow in the footsteps of a number of other success stories since the initiative embarked.
The 2016 Holiday Edition of Queen City Pop Up is an excellent opportunity to test the market, test products, and test the entrepreneurial nature of those who are looking to run their own businesses. It’s an incredible opportunity to join forces with other small businesses, while taking advantage of free rent and instrumental marketing support from The City, over the course of a two-month period.
“Since the recent completion of the 500 block of Main Street and improvements to Fountain Plaza, we are seeing more small businesses, restaurants and retailers locating along Main Street. We are looking for our next group of Queen City Pop Up participants who are seriously considering downtown Main Street for their retail operations,” said Mayor Byron Brown, Chairman of the Buffalo Urban Development Corporation (BUDC), the organization overseeing the program.
Incredibly, eight pop-up entrepreneurs have gone on to open their own stand alone businesses on Main Street. That’s a significant success rate.
Once again, this next pop-up initiative will be held at 50 Fountain Plaza located along the 500 block of Main Street. The space is being made possible thanks to Key Success, LLC and Ciminelli Real Estate. The time frame of the pop-up run is November 10, 2016 through December 24, 2016.
Currently, The City is looking for proposals for the 2016 Holiday Edition of Queen City Pop Up.
The RFP is available at BUDC’s office, 95 Perry Street, Suite 404, Buffalo, NY 14203; or by contacting Brandye Merriweather, BUDC Vice President – Downtown Development at 716-856-6525 ext. 131 or bmerriweather@buffalourbandevelopment.com. The RFP is also available at www.buffalourbandevelopment.com, www.buffaloplace.com, www.workingfordowntown.org and www.city-buffalo.com. All proposals must be submitted to Brandye Merriweather no later than Monday, October 17, 2016 at 4:00 p.m.