MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Despite water issues plaguing the city, business owners on Beale Street say they certainly aren’t going to miss opportunities for booming business.
If you can’t feel the excitement on Beale Street the day before the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, you can certainly hear it. It’s so lively you might even forget Memphis is facing a city-wide water crisis.
Business owners say that’s exactly what they were hoping for.
They’ve spent the last several days fighting mother nature since last week’s storm caused frozen and burst pipes across the city, contaminating the water supply.
The bowl game brings in tens of thousands of fans to the area every year, and they were not going to lose out on the business.
“This is what we do here. We overcome adversity. We overcome obstacles, and we’re just here to make things happen and make everyone here have a good time,” said David Hooper, the owner of Silky O’Sullivans.
Hooper said he’s shipped in ice, wrapped his soda guns, purchased canned drinks, and is constantly boiling vats of water to accommodate the crowds.
“These guys need a place to go. They earned it. Their football team did an outstanding job to make it to Liberty Bowl, and they need us to be open,” he said.
While the fans might not realize the extent of the crisis and what went into making sure the celebration continued anyway, they say thank you for your support by showing their support.
The excitement and celebration will continue into New Year’s Eve weekend. If the water situation is not fixed by then, businesses told us they will adapt and the show will go on.