Downtown Wilmington not seeing significant impact just yet

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — While some restaurants in Downtown Wilmington have not been as busy as expected, they are hoping things take a turn as the Wells Fargo Championship is now in full swing.

For most businesses across the area having the tournament in town has not made much of an impact.

“So We were expecting a lot more,” Beer Barrio Owner, Stephen Durley said. “It’s been about average so far but I think today with the first official day of play we’re going to see a big uptick in business.”

But for others, like Java Dog Coffee House Owner Paul Brown, they have already seen an uptick.

“It’s been good and it’s been about what I expected up to this point. And it seems that it’s increasing rapidly now over the last 24 hours,” Brown said.

Along with Java Dog Coffee House, Islands has also seen an increase in business. Overall, the downtown area has been slow but steady including traffic.

From parking, to catching a shuttle to the tournament, people say it has been a breeze.

“So you didn’t have any trouble parking? ‘Not at all. No,'” resident, Bart Durate said.

“So you haven’t had any trouble? ‘No trouble at all,'” resident, Norman Bottoms said.

Many downtown parking decks and the meters north of Red Cross Street are free for everyone this weekend. Making Downtown Wilmington the place to go if you are heading to Eagle Point Golf Club.

“I’m most looking forward to a lot of new people trying our restaurant for the first time. And getting to experience the downtown area,” Durley said.

It is a downtown that is expected to get busier as the tournament swings into the weekend.