We love
Franktuary for many reasons. The Downtown lunch spot is unbeatable when it comes to veggie dogs done up Chicago-style; organic, grass-finished, local beef dogs; and ice cream floats that turn any ordinary afternoon into a celebration. Now, Franktuary's owners are doing the impossible and making the eatery even cooler by reaching out to President Obama (again). They invited Obama to visit Franktuary during September's G-20 summit, and were understanding when he didn't make it... but for Franktuary's owners, the dialogue with the President is far from over.
A month may have passed since the G-20 rolled into and out of town, but independent Downtown businesses are still feeling the effects, and not necessarily in a positive way, Franktuary's owners say.
In his "Dear Mr. President" letter posted on Franktuary's blog, Franktuary co-owner Tim Tobitsch writes, "The hype and limited access to downtown generated by the presence of your international peers kept approximately 90% of my regular clientele away.. The law enforcement officials stationed downtown, although pleasant and professional, were not permitted to take a lunch break and eat at the establishment of their choosing. The presence of protesters, tourists, and adventurous locals in the Golden Triangle failed to replace even a tiny fraction of downtown Pittsburgh's regular daytime population. Ironically, while trying to fix the global economy with pomp, circumstance, and a Friday morning meeting, those who attended the G-20 Summit managed to kill many facets of a local economy for approximately 72 hours.
"At a minimum, my business lost $500 in sales as a direct result of the entirety of downtown Pittsburgh being turned into a high-security international society club. Admittedly, from a global perspective the amount of money to which I am referring is not very much. However, to a business such as my own it is a staggering loss."
And because Franktuary is more about finding a solution than whining about the problem, they've got an idea: If 20 world leaders were to buy one $25 Franktuary hooded sweatshirt each, that would equal $500--the loss in sales over the two-day summit.
No response from the world leaders yet. But if you want a hoodie, stop by the shop at 325 Oliver Ave., or email tim@franktuary.com.
Click here to read the complete Franktuary blog post.