Businesses hope to recover from lockout

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - News of hockey's return has struggling Buffalo businesses cheering. As of December, Buffalo had lost more than $2 million in hotel revenue alone due to the lockout.

Restaurant servers, bartenders, parking attendants, Metro Rail operators, ushers, concessions, and the box office staff inside the arena have all been affected. At small pubs and restaurants, employees have seen their hours cut, and their paychecks dwindle.

“From the parking, to the restaurants. what people aren't understanding is the impact it has on all the employees that aren't spending money elsewhere. Everybody's down to part time right now,” Marie Stachera, the Irish Times Owner.

While many fans are happy the Sabres are going back on the ice, many employees are just as excited to get back to work.

Cobblestone Bar and Grill Co owner Marisa Milbrand said, “We really need the Sabres to be playing by January. It's a big part of our business; it's about 50 percent of our business.”

So as we wait to hear the final numbers from the deal, we'll also have to wait and see how area businesses recover once the Sabres start playing again.