"Let's go, Buffalo!!" the crowd chants.
On a typical Sunday afternoon, the South Street Brewery is doing a brisk business thanks to a local fan club called the Bills Backers. President Patrick Webb says it’s been a terrific partnership.
“When we first established our relationship, I asked, ‘What are the chances you could make a beer just for us, and they did!”
It’s called Charlottesville Bilsner, and is served with – what else – Buffalo wings. And when the team plays the Jaguars in London on October 8th, General Manager Allison Rowell says the bar will open at 9 a.m.
“We’re doing an English breakfast and maybe a little tea time, I don’t know.”
South Street has become a home away from home for natives of Northern New York who might have been baptized as fans of the Bills.
“Now this is our second year at South Street, and there’s nothing like it: camaraderie, the food, they’ve really made it comfortable for us Buffalonians,” says fan Pamela Ryder.
General Manager Allison Rowell says they have to count heads to make sure they don’t exceed their legal capacity of 213.
"We’ll get people that come in an hour, maybe two hours beforehand to stake out their table. It really does become a community."
Despite the partisan nature of the crowd, Bills Backers are a friendly bunch who recently welcomed a couple of hapless fans of the Jets.
"I came up to them and said, ‘You guys picked the wrong spot,'" recalls Bills Backer Patrick Webb. "I told them it was going to be loud all day, and they said, ‘That’s alright.'”
The team sends swag for a weekly raffle to benefit charity,
Winning ticket 0315. Got it! Oh, it's a server!"
A dozen games remain in the season, but these diehards are confident they’ll be watching the Bills on Superbowl Sunday.
