Column: Keeping my fingers crossed for Vidler’s

My brother Jack is an interesting guy so when I spent a week in upstate New York he had some really interesting things planned. He loves to support local businesses so we spent a day in the quaint town of East Aurora, 30 minutes from everything in and around Buffalo, including the Peace Bridge to Canada.

One of the most interesting places was Vidler’s 5&10.

Vidler’s has made the second round of cuts in Intuit Quick Books’ annual Small Business, Big Game Contest. The store is one of three finalist in the nation which could win a free, 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl. The prize is valued at $4.5 million. Vidler’s had to beat 15,000 entrants to claim its place in the top 10. The final three were chosen by popular vote.

The other two finalists are Chubbies Shorts, a California-based clothing company, and Death Wish Coffee Co. based in Round Lake, N.Y. The winner, chosen from a panel at Intuit, will be announced in January. The two runners up will receive $25,000 each as well as a local advertising package valued at $15,000.

The contest helped last year’s winner, GoldieBlox, a start-up that makes engineering kits for girls, get its products into 6,000 retailers around the world, including Amazon and Toys “R” Us. It is five times the size it was before the Super Bowl commercial ran.

Vidler’s started in 1930, when Robert Sr. opened the Fair Store. Family legend has it that his mother-in-law complained of having to go all the way to Buffalo (16 miles) to buy a spool of thread and Robert saw the opportunity for a new local business.

Inside side the store you see the original wooden floors and a store stocked full of every kind of merchandise available from eyelet lace to iPod accessories. They are thankful for all the friends, fans and followers all over the USA for voting for them.

Check them out at vidlers5and10.com.

This story was originally published November 13, 2015 at 5:28 PM with the headline "Column: Keeping my fingers crossed for Vidler’s."