Dismal Astros season affecting nearby businesses around Minute Maid Park

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- This is one of the most disappointing seasons in the Astros' history. Most seats are empty, which translates into a big financial loss for some businesses who depend on the crowds.

Those empty seats at Minute Maid Park have translated into empty seats at nearby bars and restaurants, where owners say as the Astros lost games, they lost money.

Five-year-old Michaela Diaz is rooting for her Astros.

"Are you excited about the game?" we asked her.

"Yeah!" she said.

Her Astros jersey, ball and a bat are a welcome sight to area business owners who have seen customers from the ballpark practically disappear. At Craig Biggio's final game, nearly 44,000 people packed Minute Maid Park. Last week, only around 12,000. Mark Diaz is one of those faithful fans.

"Some people don't like to come. I like to come. I root for them, good and bad," Astros fan Mark Diaz said.

The Astros' disastrous record has left its mark on businesses that once thrived when the team succeeded. A padlock is on the door of The Bus, as the bar located right across the street from the park is now closed. So is the Strip House, which was once a popular post-game steakhouse.

Houston institutions like Irma's Southwest Grill have also felt the pinch.

"Our numbers are down about 50 percent. Fifty, so that's a pretty big number for us. We rely on the Astros crowd for our summer business," the restaurant's owner Louis Galvan said.

Galvan says the focus now is on next season.

"We'll have new teams coming in like the A's and the Devil Rays, so we're really hoping that a new league and the excitement of a new season will help our business next year," Galvan said.

And so are area hotels. The Hilton Americas expects to get a big boost in business from fans of the American League West.

"We think that we will get more guests from out of town. They have a big fan base, both the Yankees and the Red Sox, so we look forward to welcoming them to Houston," Hilton Americas manager Jaques D'Rovencourt said.

Business owners also believe the switch to the new league will generate a lot of new interest among locals. That, they say, will help bring more people back to the park and into their businesses.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Suspect sought in two burglaries of businesses on Houston's east side

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A burglar is caught on video and Houston police believe he may be responsible for several crimes in east Houston. Now, they're hoping you might recognize him and can help put him behind bars.

The burglar who hit this Hartz Chicken on the east side on July 29 has a slim build.

"He actually came down the ventilator shaft for the fryer, which was odd because that thing is so narrow," HPD Sgt. Eddie Ewing said.

It was a nasty surprise for the owner the next morning when she discovered the mess he left behind.

"He took the money, all my money sales from Friday night. And that's a lot of money," owner Siodenem Teb said.

But as you can see in this surveillance video from another burglary, his usual methods are bolder.

"What he normally does is busts out the front window, any kind of window he can get in that way," Ewing said.

Police think the burglar lives somewhere in this area because the restaurants are all within a few miles of each other, including a Popeye's, which has been twice.

Police released the surveillance video Friday morning, hoping someone will recognize the burglar. He's not only accused of breaking in to the Hartz, the Popeye's and a donut shop, but could be connected to even more burglaries.

Meantime, business owners on the east side are making changes, like not leaving cash overnight.

"Businesses leave a little cash for the next morning, so when they open up, they have some spending cash. They've gotten smart, they don't do that anymore," Ewing said.

If you recognize the burglar in the surveillance video or you have information about the burglaries, you are urged to contact the HPD Investigative First Responder Division or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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