Businesses In Downtown St. Louis A Buzz

DOWNTOWN ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, (KTVI) – Downtown St. Louis is home to a very busy weekend and baseball, weapons, horses, and hockey meet.  Opening weekend for the St. Louis Cardinals is intersecting with the National Rifle Association’s annual meeting, the Blues playoff series and the Cavallia horse show, among others to create a buzz.

“We’ve been preparing for a couple of months now for this weekend and ya know, loading up on staff, loading up on food, loading up on alcohol.  Things like that,” Dubliner managing partner Patrick Russell said Friday.

His Washington Avenue tavern was packed with baseball fans and gun enthusiasts, with the usual Washington Avenue Friday night crowd sprinkled in.

“It’s definitely an interesting mix of people.  You’ve got all ages, all political views, all everything.  It just makes a nice fun atmosphere.”

Among the group, to the chagrin of Cardinal fans, was Will Beleperche, of Memphis.  His Cubs shirt was distasteful to the locals, but his story is music to the ears of the chamber of commerce.  He’s here to attend baseball games, the NRA Convention, and more.  Plus he’s got money burning a hole in his pocket.  How much will he spend?

“A few grand at least,” he said with a laugh.  “I’m going to the casino, too. I’m gonna make the money.”

It’s not just out of towners who were looking to spend.  Dave Bradley left Busch, but said his party was just starting.

“After something as depressing as that, probably a lot.  Plenty of beer to be bought,” he said.

In the midst of it all, travelers here for the NRA were getting a pretty good impression of St. Louis.

“It’s been great,” NRA member Paul Berry from New York told us.” Everyone’s been nice, police. We’ve had a great time while we’ve been here.”