Arlington Businesses Anticipate Uptick If Federal Government Shuts Down

Several managers of Arlington businesses say traffic in stores and restaurants will be busier if federal government employees are told to stay home next week.

According to the government consulting firm Eye on Washington, more than 100,000 federal government employees live in Arlington and Fairfax counties. If an agreement on the federal government's deficit ceiling isn't reached by Friday night, most of them will be told not to report to work on Monday.

"People aren’t going to go to work and they’re going to come and spend money here — I hope," said Diyaa Elhoudiagui, the general manager of on Wilson Boulevard. "We do more business when it's a holiday."

Jay Hussein, the manager of on Wilson Boulevard, agreed that the business would see more customers — especially those buying alcohol — if federal government employees are furloughed.

"It would be like an off day," Hussein said. "We get people buying beer and wine on Friday and Saturday, but then we’d lose the people coming in for breakfast and lunch. I guess it balances out."

, also located on Wilson Boulevard across the street from the Colonial Village Shopping Center, serves mainly federal government employees who live in Arlington and commute into the District every day.

Benjamin Slocum, general manager of the restaurant, said the business at the bar will definitely increase next week if the government shuts down. One customer already told him Thursday afternoon that he had every intention of coming in next week if he stays home.

"If the government does shut down, I can almost say with certainty that we’ll be more busy," Slocum said. "The bar will be busier and the restaurant probably will be as well."

These predictions are at odds with fears expressed by District of Columbia businesses and government contractors that say a federal government shutdown could also be detrimental to the private sector.

But Courtney Chapman, manager of , a clothing and swimsuit store in Clarendon, said it won't only be the potential shutdown that will determine Monday's business revenues.

"It’s kind of hard to say. A lot of our business also depends on the weather. If it’s rainy, people are not walking around," Chapman said.

Stayed tuned to Clarendon-Courthouse-Rosslyn Patch for more stories about the possibility of a government shutdown later this week.