Gary Whiting spent his Monday morning doing inventory and replenishing his stock of hamburgers, Pabst Blue Ribbon and Miller High Life.
Wisconsin fans, in town to watch their Top 10-ranked team take on BYU, had cleaned him and his bar — ABG’s Libation Emporium — out of a few items after he decided to open early Saturday morning ahead of the game’s 1:30 p.m. kickoff.
“We decided to open Saturday at 10 a.m., which was crazy,” Whiting said. “We had 17 people come in the door at 10 o‘clock and about 35 or 40 follow them instantly. It was just a constant influx.”
Yes it's official- opens at 10am pic.twitter.com/yvjz07Kbp5
— Jeff Lyons (@jlyonsbadger) September 16, 2017
Whiting said ABG’s capacity is 128 people and that the bar was “packed” for three hours with patrons that were “a little loud,” but otherwise were the best group of traveling fans he’s seen in 27 years of ownership.
“Financially, it‘s the biggest day I’ve ever had here,” he said, adding that it was “triple” what the bar’s normal income would be from a regular day.
Inside ABG's Bar in Provo that opened early for Badgers fans. The owner told me he "only expected a couple of people." pic.twitter.com/x50AMUvS0z
— Alec Ausmus (@A_Twice27) September 16, 2017
City Limits Tavern also opened two hours early at 10 a.m. to accommodate the Badger faithful.
Liz Burley has been working at City Limits for about three weeks and was bartending Friday night for Provo’s Pride Festival crowd and Saturday morning for the Wisconsin crowd.
One fan, Burley recalls, brought a sign to the bar that read “Drink Wisconsinably.”
“It wasn‘t really a rush, but we definitely had a lot of people that came in and grabbed drinks before the game,” Burley said.
Of the bar’s drink selection, she said the fans bought mostly Bud Light and Fireball Cinnamon Whisky.
“They were all just happy to have a good time,” she said. “They were joking about trying to drink Provo dry.”
We know our people. Three deep at the ABG at 10:30. Go Badgers!! pic.twitter.com/v1cEfp9B7g
— Jeff Lyons (@jlyonsbadger) September 16, 2017
Whiting had never opened the bar early before and doesn’t follow sports closely, but considers serving Provo patrons and visitors to Utah alike as “community service.”
“It was a wonderful thing,” he said. “The people from Wisconsin are fabulous. They‘re the nicest, funnest people we’ve ever had here.”
