ST. LOUIS — It’s Labor Day Weekend, which means some of the best cyclists in the world are in St. Louis for the Gateway Cup. The race is divided up into four segments that take place in four separate St. Louis neighborhoods.
On The Hill, there are several restaurants that made the choice to open up on Sunday in order to capitalize on customers, racing in to spend some money.
The riders raced around the mile-long course, their fans took in the sights, sounds and smells.
While food is the main seller on The Hill, Blake Larson admits there's nothing to eat inside his store Herbaria.
"For anyone who comes in and takes a tour, they get a sample size of soap," he said.
But the smells coming from his shop are just as intoxicating as some of The Hill's finest foods.
"One of the cyclists this morning who finished his race came in later said he knew where he was in his laps by the smell alone," he said.
They're typically closed on Sundays, but several years ago, they decided to stay open hoping race fans would race into the doors. The idea was a winner, and they've kept it going every year since.
"And they come back to our store every year saying we were here once and now we come back just to get our soaps for the year," he said.
He said their experience shows that events like this are a big winner for small businesses.
Monday, the race moves to the Soulard and Benton Park Neighborhoods.
For more information and a map of road closures, click here.
