Area businesses preparing for increase in customers during March Madness

Several businesses in the viewing area are gearing up for an increase in customers during March Madness.

News 18's Marvin Bills shares how two local restaurants are preparing.

Are gearing up for an increase in customers during march madness.

News 18's marvin bills shares how two local restaurants are preparing.

March madness is here and traffic in the state of indiana and greater lafayette is going to look a lot fuller.

Local businesses are doing what they can to show people traveling to the hoosier state for the ncaa that's there's more to indiana than just corn.

"the team is very excited.

We have some different things we are doing."

Greater lafayette restaurants are ready to serve up some hoosier hospitality.

"we'll have tvs on our patio."

Karen hirsh-cooper is the owner of sgt.

Preston's located in downtown lafayette.

She says the restaurant has a lot of things in store for customers.

"we'll be doing an online bracket and the winner receives a 250 dollar gift basket."

Sgt.

Preston's has the state's biggest outdoor patio.

Karen says that'll really help when it comes to following covid-19 guidelines.

"we are able to spread out and still be able to ha social distancing."

Sgt.

Preston's is also honoring longtime voice of purdue basketball larry clisby.

"larry was a wonderful absolute wonderful patron, friend and he was actually a part of our preston's family."

So to honor clisby, throughout march madness customers can purchase a "bulls- eye" shot.

"a bulls eye is a saying he say during his announcements.

When someone did something awesome he would say bulls- eye."

Nat pop 8 miles south of sgt preston's is red bird cafe.

It sits off i-65 in dayton.

"one thing we did was try to help drive people to find us."

"we've added extra staff on the weekends and i've even brought some of my campus stuff."

Nat pop owner of red bird cafe trish brown says the entire week leading up to march madness her restaurant has closed at 2 pm in order topg to do social distancing through the guidelines we are required to do.

The most important thing i've done is increase our cleaning schedule."

Nat pop "everything is about family and about being together and that's what people come to march madness as a group to be.

They want to come hang out with their iends and family and we want to be a part of that and part of that fun experience for this time."

We'll have some links attached to this story on our website that's wlfi dot com with events taking place during march madness.

In tippecanoe county, mb news 18.

Purdue men's basketball will