By FRED PACE
The Herald-Dispatch
HUNTINGTON, W. Va. — While some businesses reported a large increase in customers from President Donald Trump’s visit to Huntington last week, some say it could have been much better.
“I intended on a huge crowd, but I didn’t know that city officials were going to tell people to stay away from downtown all day. Many people listened,” said Paula Vega, owner of Paula Vega Cakes in the 300 block of 9th Avenue. “We were ready to welcome everyone from supporters to protesters, but from noon until the event let out it was like a ghost town at my location.”
Vega believes closing streets and advising people to stay away hurt more than it helped.
Several hotels in the area reported being totally booked the night of the rally, and businesses closest to the Big Sandy Superstore Arena also pointed out the positive impacts of having a sitting president in the area.
Tim Barnes, general manager of The Marshall Hall of Fame Cafe at 857 3rd Ave., said business was steady all day.
“Obviously our location helped us,” Barnes said. “We did well and had a steady flow of customers all day that day, so for us it was great.”
Several Secret Service agents could be seen eating in downtown restaurants, like Hwy 55 Burgers Shakes & Fries and Peace, Love & Little Donuts on 3rd Avenue.
Gina Bailey, manager of Peace, Love & Little Donuts, said the business was steady and got better when the rally ended.
“It picked up even more when the rally ended,” she said. “We stayed open close to 10 p.m., and we normally close at 8 p.m. It was a very positive experience for us.”
Bailey said the business saw more customers than it does on a normal Thursday.
“It was like having a good Friday or Saturday for us,” she said.
Bryan Pyle, co-owner of Charlie Graingers, which is located across the street from the arena, said it wasn’t a record day, but it was a very good day.
“It was far and away above our average day,” he said. “It was a strong day.”
Pyle said the city did a good job of keeping street food vendors away from established food businesses in the area of the event.
“They moved them down the street away from us, and that also made for a strong day for us,” Pyle said.
“We don’t have an exact measurement for the economic impact of the president’s visit, but we know it had a big impact on hotels in the area,” Compton said. “We have been told that several hundred room nights were booked both pre- and post-visit. All of those people had to eat, so we know many restaurants got a good bump in business, and overall the economic impact had to be positive.”
Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bill Bissett said he believes the day, which came during Restaurant Week in Huntington, was overall good for businesses, as well as a positive benefit of bringing positive national visibility to the city.
“Obviously a visit from this president brings out strong feelings, but response to Restaurant Week was overall positive,” Bissett said. “No matter where you stand politically, having that many people come to downtown Huntington has to be viewed as positive and an opportunity to show all the great things Huntington has to offer.”
Bissett said he was sure it may have been an inconvenience for some folks and businesses on the day of the president’s visit, but the hope is always that visitors left Huntington with a great experience and will want to come back soon.
“While it is hard on those businesses that chose to close for half a day or for those that were not impacted in a positive way, hopefully the return will be more people seeing Huntington and the great opportunities we have here,” he said.
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