Business Returning to Normal in Florida

As Christmas approaches, the frenzy of activity has moved from downtown Tallahassee to a more predictable arena--the shopping mall.

The satellite trucks have packed up and moved on. The lawyers have gone home. After five weeks of legal battles, protests and political maneuvering, life is returning to normal in this capital city.

For those who profited from the horde of lawyers, journalists and Bush and Gore surrogates that descended on Tallahassee, the end brought a mixed reaction.

“I guess I’m glad it’s over. I’ve been here the whole time, since the second day,” said Chris Rollins, who has been stationed across the street from the Capitol selling “I thought I voted” T-shirts. “But this has financed my boss’ Christmas; my boss is financing my Christmas.”

A block from the Capitol, a quartet of casually dressed men sat in the near-empty Gordo’s Downtown restaurant during the lunch hour.

Lobbyist John French called the activities of the last month a circus.

“It was good theater,” he said. “This reminds me of the poof of smoke just before the curtain falls.”

Gordo’s owner Eddie Agramonte said the saga nearly doubled his business during an otherwise slow time of year, right before the holidays.

“I wish they were still counting the votes--I wish they would stay here and count until next year,” Agramonte said.

But as sorry as restaurant owners and hoteliers were to see the events come to an end, news crews were eager to get back to their dead plants and overdue bills.

Patrick Moser, a correspondent for Agence France-Presse, was sent to cover the presidential vote before election day.

He’s had his bags packed to head back home to Mexico City several times, and once got as far as his car before getting a call to head back to his hotel room.

“So many times I thought, ‘It’s over,’ and sort of breathed a deep sigh. But then a new incredible twist came in and the interest for the story made up for everything else,” Moser said.

Moser left town Thursday, but said he was glad the story ended so he could go on vacation.

“I’ll probably have to spend some time having my phone reconnected and my electricity turned back on,” Moser said.

Lucius Marion, headwaiter at Andrew’s Second Act and bartender upstairs at Andrew’s Grill across the street from the Florida Capitol, said he bought a couch with some of the $400 a week extra he’s brought home since the Nov. 7 election. Marion said his wife was “going to have a really nice Christmas” as a result.

Outside, the sidewalk cafes sat empty where legions of attorneys held court just days before.

Dave Ericks, owner of a downtown bar and cafe, ate a pizza while looking down the quiet street. Ericks said he’s already seen a decline in lunchtime business and take-out service.

A few doors down, poinsettias colored the sidewalk outside the Elinor Doyle flower shop. Florist Bob Bethea seemed nonplussed by the resolution of the battle of the ballots.

“We have politics all the time, so it’s nothing really new. Just a lot more of it,” Bethea said.