Wild, Saints Bringing Badly-Needed Business Back To Downtown St. Paul

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — After more than a year of feeling out of tune, a welcomed rhythm is returning to St. Paul’s Lowertown neighborhood.

Fans of the St. Paul Saints made their way to CHS Field past a band jamming out across the street, many of whom enjoyed a bite to eat nearby first.

“I think it keeps a lot of them afloat and it’s just a great experience too for the average fan,” said Daniel Haider of Forest Lake.

He and his son stopped by Dark Horse Bar and Eatery ahead of the baseball game. It’s a classic example of an out-of-towner visiting the city, lured in by a big event, and spending money in a sector eager to see more customers.

“Once things go back to full capacity, then we’ll really see it,” said Patrick Whelen, co-owner of Dark Horse, of pre-pandemic foot traffic. “We’re really excited about what’s going to be happening over the next couple of months to kind of really give us that new barometer of what the neighborhood’s gonna be like.”

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