Ty Reynolds Nick Smith once owned Mazurek’s Bakery in South Buffalo. During that ten year stint, they learned a lot about running a business and taking care of a neighborhood. When they sold the bakery to OLV Human Services, Ty decided to stay onboard with the bakery for three months, as part of a transition. Then the pandemic struck. That three months ended up being two years. Not only did the pandemic alter the course of Ty’s professional career, a bout of covid resulted in a heart attack at a considerably young age.
“I was sitting in a hospital bed, thinking about what I was going to do next,” Ty told me. “I had purchased a food truck before the pandemic, with intentions of opening 7-Yum-6. Then I thought about all of the good things that OLV was doing to help people in need. I decided that I wanted to do something for the community as well. I talked to Matt Wattles over the Niagara Frontier Food Terminal (NFFT) about opening an artisan market, and Matt told me that he was looking for someone to do a food concept at the Terminal. As Matt and I talked over the course of two months, I called Nick and told him that I had come across an opportunity that was snowballing.”
The concept that was ultimately agreed upon is called The Nickel Plate. It’s a 7700 SF food-meets-artisan concept that will create an exciting, vibrant, and diverse destination at the Terminal. The 2200 SF restaurant concept is partially derived from the 7-Yum-6 food truck menu. While there are numerous components, one of the ideas is to work with a local potato farmer to dream up some delicious “tot” recipes, including tachos, poutine, skillets. The restaurant component will also feature a number of products from local food producers such as Go Veggies, Avenue 29 Foods, Moneybags Dumplings, and Babcia’s Pierogi. While these foods will be incorporated into the menu, the items will also be sold at the 5200 SF artisan market.
Other menu items of interest are: a donut bacon cheeseburger burger, wraps, wings, chicken fingers, and salads. Breakfast (starting a few weeks after opening) will have “the basic menu items” of biscuits and gravy, omelets, as well as more interesting items such as donut waffles, or a donut breakfast sandwich, apple fritter French toast, and some scratch breakfast tots (of course). The bread will all be made onsite to ensure freshness, according to Ty.
Beverage offerings at the restaurant and market include a monthly rotation of local coffee vendors, as well as a new line of sodapops from neighbor Irish Carbonic (IC) IC is using 100-year-old recipes for their new line of Straight Up Beverages (vintage soda handcrafted in Buffalo!).
A bar portion will have 8-10 taps of craft beer from New York State. Wine selections will also be sourced from New York State. There will be a large merchandiser refrigerator, used partly to hold a large variety of locally crafted beer in cans and bottles. Customers will have the option to purchase and take home, or sit down and relax and grab a bite to eat.
As for the “giving back” part of the business, Ty told me that he is already in discussions with OLV, as well as the Office for People with Disabilities, to train disadvantaged people at The Nickel Plate, which will provide them with the skills and knowhow that will help them secure jobs in the community.
Ty is also thrilled to be working with other local businesses. The restaurant and artisan market will be prime examples of how to cross-pollinate in Buffalo, he told me. Already, they have 130 artisans signed up to participate in this exciting new venture, from chocolatiers to, to candle makers, to welders and fabricators. The architectural details of the terminal (both inside and outside) are being spotlighted, to create a fun and light atmosphere that will be unlike anything else in Buffalo.
If you’re wondering about the name The Nickel Plate, Ty told me that it is an ode to the railroad that built the terminal in the 30’s. There is still a Nickel Plate Road society in Ohio that Ty has reached out to. The organization has given their blessing to incorporate their logo into the new logo for The Nickel Plate concept.
To round it out, The Nickel Plate will be hosting numerous community events and celebrations throughout the year, including Dyngus Day parties, summer cookouts, and even a gathering for a Solar Eclipse viewing. During these events, additional pop-up businesses will set up under the Terminal’s canopies. Ty and Nick are talking to Matt about accessing an additional 3000 SF on the second floor as a potential maker’s space.
“We believe the Nickel Plate will attract additional businesses that bring more foot traffic to our historic buildings,” added Matt, who has been pushing for this sort of momentum for years. “We seek to renovate new spaces for businesses like those vending in The Nickel Plate, so this is a great way to create synergy in the business community at the NFFT. We are continuing to restore the architectural fabric of our buildings to recreate the vibrant market environment of years past with food production, retail, and art related tenants.”
“There is so much room to grow,” said Ty. “We believe that this is exactly what this neighborhood needs. This complex is a gold mine for a lot of businesses if it can get developed properly. We’re doing our part, and we’re so happy to be working with Matt to create a real destination, especially with other institutions like the Clinton-Bailey Market, which is located right across the street.”
The Nickel Plate Eatery & Marketplace is anticipated to open in mid-January, 2024.
Ty and Nick are currently hiring all staffing positions. If someone is interested in applying, they can do so online at www.tnpbuffalo.com. Fans and supporters of this project are encouraged to follow progress on Facebook/Instagram @tnpbuffalo .
The Nickel Plate Eatery & Marketplace | 1500 Clinton Street | Buffalo, NY 14206 | Middle row, next to M&T Bank
Get connected: www.tnpbuffalo.com | Vendor Sign-Up
To learn more about the Niagara Frontier Food Terminal, click here. Don’t be shy – be sure to reach out and inquire about a space!
