New “Buy Local” Specialty Food Store in East Aurora Offers Over 50 Local Brands In One Place.

Buffalo Artisan Food Traders {South) is now open 1342 Quaker Rd. In East Aurora. The store is a joint venture between the Aurora Country Store and Buffalo Artisan Food Traders (of Amherst). With the push for consumers to buy local and support small business heightened during the pandemic, the store looks to make it easy for folks in the Southtowns to get all their local favorites that they might typically find at area farmers markets, art and crafts shows and the Broadway Market - all under one roof, year-round. 

Joe Lattanzio of the Aurora Country Store purchased the site in 2021 with the thought of transforming the existing deli and convenience store into something more unique with an emphasis on upscale locally made products. When he was introduced to Rick Fickhesen of Buffalo Artisan Food Traders, WNY’s only all-local specialty food store, it was a partnership waiting to happen. “I wanted to take the deli to the next level with locally made ingredients and recipes and show my commitment to local” Lattanzio said. “When my Wife Annmarie met with Rick and we started brainstorming, it was clearly something that was meant to be”. 

Operating his store in Amherst since October of 2020 to help local food makers shuttered by business and event closures, Fickhesen shares the passion of supporting “local” and was already looking for a location in the Southtowns. “We already have an established base there due to our presence at area farmers markets and this was just a perfect fit” Fickhesen said. “People in the Southtowns love to support local businesses and this store will give them an easy way to do it” he added. 

Another common vision that both businesses shared was the idea of hosting vendor pop-ups and farmers markets in their parking lots. Buffalo Artisan Food Traders Amherst location already received a great deal of visibility by hosting free vendor events for food makers throughout the Fall and Winter during the peak of the pandemic. Lattanzio had the same idea for the spacious parking lot on 20A for the Aurora Country Store where he purchased equipment to do large outdoor cookouts. 

The Buffalo Artisan Food Traders Store is now open and will carry several local brands that area shoppers may know including pickled products by Deb’s Delights, M & M Pickles and Barrel & Brine, Jams and Jellies from Dragonfly, Donna’s and Lewiston Jellies, pasta and sauce products from Gondola, Pasta Peddler and Salvatores, as well as brands well known from area events such as Kissed By The Sun Spices, Nunda Mustards, Blue Table Chocolates and many more. 

Buffalo Food Traders South is now open at 1342 Quaker Rd. From 6:30am to 2:30pm and will be hosting a grand opening event on Saturday May 14th from 10am-2pm where a number of local vendors will be present along with a cook-out and live music. 

They are also planning on starting a Thursday evening farmers market starting in mid-June and are putting out a call to farmers and vendors at this time. For more information about the store or to get into the farmers market, please contact the Buffalo Food Traders Amherst location at 716-435-0092 or by email at Rick@wnyfoodtraders.com.