Success by UC sports equals big money for local businesses

CINCINNATI - Local businesses cash in on the success of the football and basketball teams at the University of Cincinnati.

The Dubois Bookstore on Calhoun Street was down to its last three Belk Bowl T-shirts before the kickoff at 6:30 p.m. Thursday night.

"A lot of people haven't heard of [the bowl game,] but a lot of popularity with the Cincinnati fans," assistant manager Ty Bonawitz said.

Bonawitz gave an example of the company's Miami University (Ohio) location in Oxford. That store cannot keep enough hockey gear in stock for fans. His point is that if a particular athletic program is successful, his store and other businesses can capitalize on it.

Three blocks away, on McMillian Street in Clifton, the pizzeria, Adriatico's had a line forming outside its front door 30 minutes before the Bearcats were scheduled to play their final football game of the season.

The restaurant's assistant manager did not expect the crowd to lighten up after the game because UC's eighth-ranked men's basketball team (12-0) played New Mexico at 9:30 p.m.