CHICAGO – Attendees of the Democratic National Convention helped some local businesses on the Near West Side near the arena make a profit.
Spencer Montgomery, owner of the Barn Hockey Bar, reports an increase in sales at his restaurant at 1659 W Ogden Ave.
“It’s been a good week for us,” Montgomery said, adding that his restaurant makes its biggest profits in the fall and winter when the Blackhawks play.
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When the DNC was in town earlier this week, Montgomery said he and his team were excited to welcome a new clientele.
“People started to hear about us more or less on Monday, and a little more came on Tuesday,” he said. “By the end of the week, people knew this was the place to be.”
Traffic detours and closures around the United Center did not stop customers from visiting Su Taqueria El Rey Del Taco, a traditional Mexican restaurant just a short walk from the stadium.
“We had large groups coming in to eat, dine in and even take out,” Karla Franco said.
Franco said customers had to wait about 10 minutes longer than usual for their food, but additional staff and a taco and burrito express outside the restaurant helped keep the crowds under control.
“A lot of traffic officers and police officers were coming and going to Taco and Burrito Express because they didn’t have much time,” Franco said.
Montgomery told WGN News he has also increased his staffing levels to handle the business boom.
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“Behind me we had an assembly line, we had tables set up and we made 450 sandwiches,” he said.
Spencer said the restaurant served the DNC supporters and gave back by preparing sandwiches and delivering them to CPD officers on Friday afternoon.
“It is of utmost importance to us that people in the community who make a difference are recognized,” he said.
Franco, in turn, told WGN News that she would again face a DNC-sized crowd.
“I wouldn’t say no,” she laughed.
The Democratic Party Convention in Chicago ended on Thursday evening with Vice President Kamala Harris accepting the party’s nomination for the highest office in the country.
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Chicago has hosted the Democrats 12 times, the last time nearly 30 years ago when President Bill Clinton was nominated for a second term.
WGN cover story: Why Chicago has hosted more presidential conventions than any other city.
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