This past June, I posted about the pending closing of West Marine, which signaled a huge blow to the Buffalo boating community (learn.more). At the time, there seemed to be little hope for boaters who had come to rely upon West Marine for its incredible resources, as well as its overall convenience (by land and by sea).
What no one could have seen coming was the fortuitous arrival of Buffalo Marine Supply, which is now open inside the brutalist observation tower at the Erie Basin Marina.
In a huge stroke of luck, Buffalo Marine Supply – operated by Jon Nash and managed by Melinda Rose – has quite literally come to the rescue of boaters on Lake Erie.
Accessible by car, as well as by boat, the marine shop carries all of the marine essentials, as well as an array of ancillary boating supplies. What’s really incredible about this new waterfront gem is that by next spring, the shop will be expanded to the second floor of the tower, as well as in another more spacious annex outlet within the building, closer to the water’s edge.
For the first time since it was initially opened in 1974, the observation tower is anticipated to soon be be fully operational. Over the decades, there have been fits and starts, with signs of hope, but nothing like we are seeing today.
Currently, the first floor of Buffalo Marine Supply is open. In the spring, the second floor will open, as will the shop’s annex location. And while it will not be able to completely fill the large shoes left behind by West Marine, the boating community will have just about everything that it needs to get out onto the water safely and effectively. There might not be multiple brands of marine hull paint or numerous choices of bumper kits, but there will be expertly curated brand selections available. The decision has been made to stock the best items, while keeping affordability in mind.
Other boating amenities on-hand are/will be VC -17 paint, life jackets, line, fire extinguishers, engine safe antifreeze, hull cleaner, winterizing kits, fuel stabilizer, moisture absorbers, mold and mildew absorbers, engine oils, gear lubes, power adapters, bilge pumps, head deodorizers, ice, live bait and lures, marine friendly toilet paper… the list goes on and on.
The opening of Buffalo Marine Supply, and its pending expansions in the spring of 2027, signals a renewed lifeline for boaters who would otherwise be left in the lurch with the closing of West Marine. The essentials (plus) are already here, and the rest is coming, including great local beers such as Big Ditch.
Buffalo Marine Supply plans on operating a small open air market summer market in its annex spot, with sunset chairs and music playing. It will be a friendly, social scene for boaters to congregate, shop, relax, and enjoy the sights and sounds of the marina. Whether pulling up to refuel, loading up on supplies, or snagging a radio before heading onto the locks along the Erie Canal, the marine shop has arrived to save the day…. just in the nick of time.
You might wonder how all of this came together so fast? Well, it turns out that the folks at Buffalo Marine Supply headed over to West Marine and snagged anything that they could get their hands on, at discounted prices, including the shelving units and decor.
You might say that while the writing was initially on the wall for marine supplies in Buffalo, fate can often have a mind of its own. Not only are all of the required essentials still available to boaters, an underutilized waterfront building is now being utilized and revitalized in the process.
Now, it’s up to the boating community to take full advantage of this surprising windfall.
May these timely winds of fortune be at our back for many years to come.
Buffalo Marine Supply | 329 Erie Street, Buffalo, NY, United States, 14202 | (716) 851-5238 | Facebook
Hours: Open daily from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM, seasonal