Celebrating St. Paddy’s Day, Lake City Style

COEUR D’ALENE — A struggling economy isn’t dampening the spirits of neighbors in the Lake City who were out in force on Tuesday celebrating St. Paddy’s Day.

One of the places that sees a pickup in business is “All Things Irish” in downtown Coeur d’Alene. It’s no surprise that it’s the busiest time of the year for the store where Leprechauns stand guard as the sound of bag pipes fill the air.

“It’s the biggest deal for us … it’s our holiday, our special holiday,” Ilene Moss, owner of “All Things Irish” said.

It’s a holiday that Moss counts on every year to make it to summer, the busiest time of year. Moss says that right now the economy is not keeping people from spending money.

“People are just so ready for spring and this is just kind of the introduction to it and everybody’s happy and having a good time,” she said.

“Everyone in the world wears green today because if they aren’t Irish they are green with envy,” Jerry Neely, a customer at the store says.

Steve Best is half Irish and bought a shamrock pin this St. Paddy’s Day morning. Best plans to spend between $50 and $100 to celebrate the day/

“It’s a real special day for me. A lot of my heritage I think it’s green beer and Guinness, Irish whiskey, corned beef and cabbage and potatoes,” Best said.

Jerry Neely also has Irish blood; his grandfather was born in Ireland, and he’s not giving up on St. Paddy’s Day anytime soon.

“I got a green t-shirt and a green polo shirt and a green hat,” he said.

Moss has already made 10 to 20 percent more this year than last St. Paddy’s Day.

“It just goes to show me that people still want to go out and enjoy themselves and not isolate themselves and get out and have fun,” she said.

Maybe it’s proof that even in tough economic times, the Irish are lucky after all.

“What else could it be? The luck of the Irish,” Moss said.