Despite a tough loss for Virginia Tech on the football field, restaurants in downtown Blacksburg saw a bump in business for Monday’s action.
The Boise State game was the first for Frank’s Bar, located inside the 622 North restaurant and former home of Bogen’s Steakhouse and Bar.
Sam Catron, the bar’s general manager, said all of Frank’s tables were filled, with a total attendance of about 40 to 50 people.
“We were happy with the turnout,” Catron said, noting a 25 to 30 percent increase from the bar’s normal Monday nights, when it hosts a pool league.
The game was also the first for Hokie House’s new ownership group. Brian Palmer, one of the restaurant’s co-owners, said while business was three times better than an average Monday night, turnout was lower than expected.
“With it being such a big game, we thought there would be more people coming out,” Palmer said. “We were expecting it to be a little bit more busy.”
Mike Hopkins, kitchen manager at Top of the Stairs, said he noticed a few more people than an average Monday.
“I thought it might’ve been a little busier, but it was a decent amount of people,” Hopkins
said.
Andrea Weddle, manager at Big Al’s Grille & Sports Bar, described the restaurant as “standing room only.”
Many bars said sales were steady throughout the game.
“When something good happened, they got a shot, and when something bad happened, they got a shot,” Weddle said.
With the Hokies losing on a late Boise State touchdown, most of the bars emptied out almost immediately after the game’s conclusion.
“Most people left, the superfans stayed,” Hopkins said.
Catron speculated sales might have jumped with a Tech victory.
“If we had won, people would’ve hung around, got some drinks to celebrate,” he said.
Expectations were high with the beginning of football on both the college and professional level. In addition to Monday’s game, this week will also see the opening games of the NFL season and Tech’s home opener against James Madison University.
For Catron, the start of football season is a welcome respite from a slower summer.
“We’ve been here all summer building a customer base,” Catron said. “We’re ready to be too busy to even handle.”