In the News: Buffalo State SBDC Staff Featured in Buffalo News

Andrea Lizak, associate director and business advisor with SUNY Buffalo State University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC), and Susan A. McCartney, SBDC director, spoke with Buffalo News food writer Francesca Bond about food pop-ups for a story that ran September 10.

The article, “Why Pop-ups Have Some of the Most Creative Food in Buffalo” highlights local examples of food pop-ups—“test runs” for culinary ideas—and explores some reasons behind the growing trend.

“It’s becoming more and more popular,” said Lizak, “just getting your foot out there before you’re doing anything larger.”

Many of Buffalo’s most popular restaurants, the article said, including James Beard–nominated Southern Junction and French patisserie Butter Block, started as pop-ups before opening permanent locations.

McCartney said the SBDC, which offers free business advice, encourages clients to pilot food concepts with a pop-up because it’s easier to secure bank financing when one has “proof of concept”—data on the business—which can be gathered while operating on a smaller scale.

“Everyone has a big vision,” McCartney said. “In order for them to move forward and actually succeed, we have found it beneficial for them to create a more modest version of their dream and they can acclimate themselves to the basic business challenges.”

McCartney photo by Joed Viera.