Restaurants along the Hiawatha corridor are getting a boost from downtown Minneapolis workers riding the rails, with many reporting their lunch business is up 20 to 30 percent since light-rail trains began running in June.
"I didn't think it would affect me one way or the other -- but, boy, was I wrong," said Don Mattson, owner of Cap's Grille, which sits alongside the rail station at E. 50th Street.
The first day the trains ran a regular weekday schedule, Mattson said, he had 50 rail-borne diners at his barbecue joint. A month later, that number has settled at about 25 to 30 a day.
[...]
Some restaurants are seeing a baseball boost, as well. Mattson and others said they're getting a fair amount of business from Twins fans who park their cars, eat dinner and then ride the train to the Metrodome for the game.
Restaurateur Dave Koch renovated an existing restaurant with the train in mind. The Rail Station Bar & Grill, formerly Jimmy's, opened three weeks ago at 3675 Minnehaha Av. S.
"I have noticed a lot of men in suits," Koch said. "People have really accepted the train, compared to a few years ago when they were strapping themselves to trees" to protest development of the line.
Since we bought a house a mile from the 50th Street rail stop in January, I say to you: Ride! Ride that light rail! It's good for my property values!
No comments:
Post a Comment