Downtown restaurants busy heading into NCAA tournament weekend

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - March Madness is here and as you know thousands of fans and tourists have made their way into town for this weekend’s Women’s NCAA Tournament games. But fans aren’t just enjoying the game---things are busy outside the arena too.

Saturday will be another full day of basketball downtown. But people need something to do before in-between and after the game too. That’s why March Madness has been keeping restaurants busy.

“So Saturday will be busy basically from open all the way till close,” said Clay Eaddy the owner of The Lost Cajun on Main Street. The restaurant serves traditional New Orleans food and drinks.

“Really anything that you might find out in South Louisiana is one of our specialties is a red bean and rice or crawfish étouffée,” said Eaddy. “They need places to eat, a place to hang out, a place to watch the games. and so that’s what we provide.”

He says the crowds started during the SEC Tournament earlier this month. But this weekend he’s expecting an even bigger influx.

“Now with the Sweet 16 coming to town, that’s really special. I mean, there’s just not a lot of places in the country that get to host that,” said Nate Tomforde, the owner of Double Stamp Brewery on Laurens Road.

At Tomforde’s brewery they expect the same rush. They have more than 15 house-made beers on tap. And are one of the closest breweries to the arena.

“A lot of different team uniforms and a lot of different fans coming from all over so it’s really benefited us,” he said.

Both businesses say they expect at least a 20% boost in customers this weekend.

“As we say in South Louisiana. ‘laissez le bon temps rouler’-- let the good times roll,” said Eaddy.

If you are heading out to the games this weekend both these businesses are willing and ready to serve you. This tournament is expected to generate millions of dollars of economic impact for the city.

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