Swarms of tourists are spending the holidays in the city – unfortunately, they’re not spending much money, local businesses said yesterday.
Pat Frawley, who has a souvenir and clothing shop on Fifth Avenue at 51st Street, yesterday became frustrated watching the shivering tourists outside his window blowing on their hands to keep warm.
“They’d rather stay cold than shell out $5 for gloves or a hat,” he said.
Despite being a block from the Rockefeller Plaza Christmas tree – tourism’s ground zero – Frawley is finding business “down seriously,” he said.
Michael Patrisso, 24, a supervisor at the NBC Experience store in Rockefeller Center, said:
“There are still a lot of people coming in, but they just aren’t buying as much merchandise.”
The store laid off 12 employees Friday.
Tennessee visitor Jennifer Green, 31, said that in past years, she always made a point of skating in the rink near the tree, but this year, she decided to save money and watch other people skate.
Martin Steels, 24, a management consultant from London, said he, too, is trying to see New York on the cheap.
“In August, the pound was much stronger, but not anymore,” he said. “I am spending a lot less and thinking a lot more about what I buy.”
Saied Abdelghani, 42, who has a gyro cart at Sixth Avenue and 50th Street, said that instead of the 150 customers he normally has each day this time of year, he currently is serving only 25 a day.