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By KEITH MORELLI

kmorelli@tampatrib.com

Published: March 14, 2009

Updated: 03/14/2009 12:27 am

TAMPA - With an economy that inspires frowns over squandering cash - such as dropping a wad to swill green beer or stout all day long - some local Irish pubs are praying to St. Patrick to pull them out of the bog.

St. Patrick's Day ranks third among holidays that celebrate the brewski. New Year's Eve and Halloween are the top two.

Beer marketers predict that St. Paddy's spending nationwide this year could fall 10 percent to $3.2 billion. Marketing experts with the National Retail Federation say that last year a reveler on March 17 spent about $35 on average; this year, the same partier will spend $32.80.

Tom White, owner of Whitey's Fox & Hounds Irish Pub in Brandon, will celebrate St. Patrick's Day twice: once today, what he calls "St. Saturday's Day," and again on Tuesday, the true holiday.

"You have to," he said. "In this economy, it's tough."

The pub has a full complement of Irish drafts and is offering discounts today. On Tuesday there will be a cover charge, mainly to pay for the Irish-themed entertainment, White said.

He and others are feeling the recession's pinch. Some local establishments are showing a 20 percent drop in business from last year's first quarter, he said.

Colin Breen, owner of Four Green Fields on Platt Street near downtown, said his pub is celebrating St. Paddy's Day only once - for four days.

"We're having bands from Ireland today, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday," he said.

His pub also is sponsoring a 5-kilometer run Monday with personnel from MacDill Air Force Base, then Irish music at the bar.

"On the day" he said, referring to Tuesday, "we start at noon with music and a lunch buffet."

But the blowout isn't designed to boost lagging business, Breen said.

"We've been here for 17 years, and this is the third busiest year we've ever had," he said. "It's crazy busy. Nobody is coming in here moaning about anything."

He said the Super Bowl and Gasparilla helped keep his sales above average.

Bill Gieseking, marketing director for Pepin Distributing Co., said the economy has taken a slug out of beer consumption this year.

People are still buying beer, but they are opting for cheaper brands, he said.

Many bars are celebrating over the weekend and Tuesday to increase sales, he said.

"Most places," he said, "are trying to stretch it out some."

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760.

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