ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — Buffalo Bills are holding onto memories as they begin picking up their seats and other memorabilia from the old Highmark Stadium at One Bills Drive in Orchard Park.
Nicholas Moustakas, the on-site project manager for the removal of Highmark Stadium Bills memorabilia, said the process is straightforward for those with a scheduled pickup.
"It's a drive-through process where you'll get checked in, you drive to your specific lot, either if you're getting a bleacher or if you're getting pairs," Moustakas said.
Fans should bring proof of email and their order number upon arrival. Staff will help load items into vehicles. Available items include bleacher seats and turf made into doormats.
Liza Cummings, a 17-year Bills season ticket holder, said her connection to the stadium runs deep.
"It was progressively more exciting. We've been watching the Bills forever on television. We decided to bite the bullet and get our season tickets and go to the stadium every weekend," Cummings said. "It was great spending time with my twin nephews while they were in high school and beyond."
Cummings already has a plan for where her seats will go.
"We have a garage that's made into like a Bills bar where we have a couple of televisions and a couple of Bills couches, and we watch games there, so we're going to set them up there and stand in front of them like we do at the stadium," Cummings said.
For fans who cannot make it to Orchard Park, Dave & Adam's in Williamsville is the official retailer selling pieces of the old Highmark Stadium.
Craig Fortuna, retail general manager at Dave & Adam's, said the items carry real significance for fans.
"The stadium meant a lot to a lot of people, and now that it's gone, this is your last chance to relive the stadium before the new stadium opens up," Fortuna said.
To kick off the event, Bills Hall of Famers Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas signed seats, helmets, and other Bills-related items.
Kelly reflected on what the memorabilia means to him.
"It's awesome. I mean, some of them I put my numbers, some I put Hall of Fame, some I put the years that I played," Kelly said.
"It brings back memories, that's for sure, and I got my chairs that my family sat in, which is cool," Kelly said.
Thomas said the seats carry the weight of decades of Bills history.
"There's a lot of memories that go into these seats and a lot of people from the time that I played, from 1988 to 1999, were sitting in these seats," Thomas said.
"You know something remarkable probably happened. It could have been the comeback game, it could have been one of the AFC Championship games," Thomas said.
Items at Dave & Adam's are available while supplies last.
The stadium seat pickup at One Bills Drive runs through June 15, weekdays from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Links to purchase memorabilia online are available at highmarkstadiummemorabilia.com.
