2008 Woodie Awards
Uptown fighting has no effect on business
Michelle Lohmann
Issue date: 9/7/07 Section: Community
According to Bagel and Deli Shop employee Lindsey Wilson, dealing with occasional fights, like the incident two weekends ago that led to the glass in the shop's door being shattered, is just part of the job.
"You just have to be more on your toes if you're working at night rather than during the day," Wilson said.
Each weekend students, bar managers and employees witness fights and scuffles uptown and some even become involved in the fights themselves in trying to stop the violence.
But to what extent can bystanders go to stop fights, and how do these altercations impact businesses uptown?
According to students, bar managers and employees, violent physical altercations seemingly do not deter business from Oxford's uptown area.
Usually after a night of drinking at establishments uptown, a few students and/or Oxford residents have resorted to physical violence to solve disagreements. Despite rumors, and the sometimes-brutal nature of the incidents, most students who frequent uptown are not worried about the occurrence of a fight.
"I would still go to the bars if there were fights," said Kitty Shaw, a Miami University sophomore. "I think you need to have some sort of drama to break up the every day routine."
Bar owners said they do not think fights affect business at their establishments.
"If you're in the bar business, there's always going to be people looking for trouble and people that tend to get more agitated," said Will Weisman, co-owner of Brick Street Bar. "But generally speaking it's not a significant problem."
Pat Manning, a manager of Bruno's Pizza, agrees.
She said that so far this year there have been no major altercations at her establishment, and during the last academic year she only had to call the police approximately five times. According to Manning, most of the time severely inebriated students are just annoying-not violent.
"They pester the heck out of you when you're busy," she said. "It gets to be annoying after a few minutes and then it affects your mood the whole night."
"You just have to be more on your toes if you're working at night rather than during the day," Wilson said.
Each weekend students, bar managers and employees witness fights and scuffles uptown and some even become involved in the fights themselves in trying to stop the violence.
But to what extent can bystanders go to stop fights, and how do these altercations impact businesses uptown?
According to students, bar managers and employees, violent physical altercations seemingly do not deter business from Oxford's uptown area.
Usually after a night of drinking at establishments uptown, a few students and/or Oxford residents have resorted to physical violence to solve disagreements. Despite rumors, and the sometimes-brutal nature of the incidents, most students who frequent uptown are not worried about the occurrence of a fight.
"I would still go to the bars if there were fights," said Kitty Shaw, a Miami University sophomore. "I think you need to have some sort of drama to break up the every day routine."
Bar owners said they do not think fights affect business at their establishments.
"If you're in the bar business, there's always going to be people looking for trouble and people that tend to get more agitated," said Will Weisman, co-owner of Brick Street Bar. "But generally speaking it's not a significant problem."
Pat Manning, a manager of Bruno's Pizza, agrees.
She said that so far this year there have been no major altercations at her establishment, and during the last academic year she only had to call the police approximately five times. According to Manning, most of the time severely inebriated students are just annoying-not violent.
"They pester the heck out of you when you're busy," she said. "It gets to be annoying after a few minutes and then it affects your mood the whole night."
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