Economy

xchrom

(108,903 posts)

41. Mardi Gras means fat business for Gulf Coast

Fri Feb 17, 2012, 09:30 AM

Feb 2012

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MARDI_GRAS_SMALL_TOWNS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-02-17-06-01-49

FAIRHOPE, Ala. (AP) -- Mardi Gras. It brings to mind beads, parties and fancy floats in New Orleans as people cram in all the fun they can before Lent begins.

In reality, Mardi Gras has long been celebrated in coastal towns from Texas to Florida. And it means big business.

"It is more of a regional thing, Mardi Gras is, from Texas down to Gasparilla (pirate festival) down in the Tampa area," said Stephen Toomey, whose family started a chain of Mobile, Ala.-based Mardi Gras party supply stores.

"It means a way of life for people who live in these communities, but the bottom line is that it creates a lot of jobs."

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