Restaurants prepare for PGA, and more customers

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – We’re about five weeks away from the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Pittsford. And, according to a new report conducted by the Greater Rochester Enterprise, the tournament could bring in nearly $200 million. GRE collaborated with the PGA of America on this year’s analysis, and it includes estimates for things like ticket sales, concessions, merchandise.

For an event as big as this, you can’t forget restaurants.

Matthew Gervasi opened up Lucca’s Northside Kitchen last summer, in East Rochester. He’s worked in the food service industry for most of his life, but this will the first PGA at the new place.

“Last time the PGA was in town, I was in my other location in Victor, and we had a record week that week,” he said. “There were people there every night. There’s a lot of folks that come in for this, even for the practice rounds.”

The restaurant will be open extra hours, with extra staff and inventory.

“I think everywhere throughout Monroe County will definitely see it,” said Gervaci. “Especially on the east side, it is not just us, it’s hotels, I know they’re pretty much all booked up for that week already.”

Over in Pittsford, Scott Thyroff is preparing his staff for a long week at Pittsford Pub and Grille. He said he got a taste of what it’s like to work during the PGA in 2013, at his former location.

“I’m feeling excited, nervous, we got everything ready to go,” he said. “Food, we get the week of. Probably food deliveries every day. Beer orders every day, and liquor orders. We’ll just be having deliveries nonstop.”

One of the challenges he’s looking at is parking. The GRE report also estimates more than 225,000 spectators will likely be drawn in.

“Between us and the restaurant next to us, you know we’ll have between 40 and 50 employees are gonna need parking, so I’m going to try to secure some offsite parking.”

But since this is an experience that doesn’t come around often, Thyroff says it’s thrilling.

And Gervasi said it’s going to be nostalgic for some, too.

“This restaurant has a real deep tradition with the PGA tour,” said Gervasi. The location used to be The Northside Inn for many years, and the owners were often associated with the PGA.

“All events that have come to Oak Hill, they hosted the Ryder Cup team in 1995,” said Gervasi.

“We’ll do our best with everything we got here, to put our best foot forward and show everyone that comes here that Rochester is a great town.”

The tournament is set for May 15-21, at Oak Hill Country Club; the tournament’s fourth time at the club.