Mar 5, 2008

St. Patrick’s Day good to eateries, bars, tooBy David BurgeElPasoTimes.com

El Paso restaurants, bars and retailers are optimistic that St. Patrick’s Day revelers will add some green to their cash registers.

The National Retail Federation estimated Monday that U.S. consumers will spend $3.64 billion on St. Patrick’s Day, which is March 17, down slightly from the $3.76 billion spent last year.

Bennigan’s Grill & Tavern on the East Side is expecting to attract 8,000 to 10,000 people for its all-day St. Patrick’s Day bash that spills out into the eatery’s parking lot each year, General Manager Danny Carrillo said.

St. Patrick’s Day is easily the busiest day of the year for the restaurant, which is part of a Plano, Texas, chain, Carrillo said.

“We’re an Irish grill and tavern,” he said. “It’s kind of like Christmas for everyone else.”

Carrillo said he’s noticed that general business conditions have slowed recently, but he still expects a large crowd.

“People will still come out for big events” like this, he said. “We expect to blow out everything we’ve done in the past.”

Central resident Joaquin Moreno said he would spend about $50 for St. Patrick’s Day. He plans to decorate the business he owns, Sunset Photography, and go out for some green beer.

“It’s a chance to party and joke around with friends about whether they’re wearing green,” Moreno said.

Read complete article.