From a small photography business owner to the founder of the largest locally themed retailer in Western New York, Nathan Mroz has become quite the successful entrepreneur and was recently awarded the “2022 Buffalo District Young Entrepreneur of the Year U.S. Small Business Administration” award.
This 28 year-old had humble beginnings. Born and raised in Buffalo, NY, Nathan made his first step towards being an entrepreneur through selling his award-winning photography in a kiosk at the Eastern Hills Mall in Western New York. In 2015 during Mroz’s senior year of college, the BFLO Store was launched in the same building where it all started – the Eastern Hills Mall. The following year he graduated from Buffalo State college with a bachelors in science.
The BFLO Store had humble beginnings, but very quickly sprouted. After a few years, the business added another location in a larger mall in the Buffalo area, which had more traffic. In 2019, Mroz expanded his Eastern Hills location with a $2 million investment, which created the “BFLO District” and added new life to the dying mall.
As of 2022, Mroz has 4 different locations in Buffalo, NY. These stores sell a host of different Buffalo themed items, such as apparel, home decor, gifts, and more. Despite the growing popularity, the business isn’t done growing. Mroz has more plans for the BFLO Store and will continue to invest in his business.
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Mroz look like he has become very successful. It is very impressive that he has been able to open more than one store front. I think it is interesting how he went from being a photographer to a clothing designer. Not only was he starting a new business, but he brought more traffic to a dying mall because of how well his products were selling.
Interesting how he went from selling his photography to having themed retail stores that sell home decor, apparel and gifts. I wouldn’t associate photography with themed retail but this is a good example of a cool transition of how he was being entrepreneurial.
Mroz showed the many routes a creative mind can take. Photography to a themed retail store would probably not be the first path a non-entrepreneur would think of when asked what the next step should be towards success. However, Mroz made it work. The creative foundation was there. Mroz just applied it to something different. All of his success has been in Buffalo. It makes sense that he would stay around that area to grow his ideas.