BUFFALO, N.Y. — Nearly everywhere Lou Billittier turns these days, the Buffalo restaurateur is reminded of the NHL lockout, and its impact on his blue-collar, sports-mad town.
Billittier has missed the familiar faces of Sabres players having their game-day lunch at his restaurant, Chef’s. His food supplier is struggling. And then there are the part-time arena employees who stop in looking for work, who he has to turn away because his own business is down.
It’s a trickle-down effect, which he calls “brutal.”
And Billittier is not alone.
From the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto to Hockeytown, aka, Detroit, a wide array of businesses located in the NHL’s 30 markets have taken a significant hit because of the lockout that’s now in its fourth month, wiping away 527 games.
For local news and more, subscribe to The Norman Transcript Smart Edition, or our print edition.
