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Center City Restaurants And Bars Hope Business Picks Up During Papal Weekend

By John McDevitt

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Center City restaurants and bars are hoping business will pick up during the World Meeting of Families conference and papal visit.

Where is everybody? That's what many Center City restaurants and bars are asking.

 

"It was a ghost town in the city," said restaurateur Teddy Sourias.

Sourias was talking about Tuesday night business.

He owns Bru Craft and Wurst, Ubahn, Finn McCools and runs the Uptown Beer Garden.

He says because of the road closures, special food and supply orders were made to accommodates the anticipated crowds.

"I met with the secret service two months ago; they gave us a worst case scenario," said Sourias. "So we went according to the worst case scenario saying that we can't get anything past Tuesday, so anything last minute I myself have a work truck to do last minute runs. We don't know how much to order."

He says he has a full staff waiting for the crowds and praying for the best.

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