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Business & Tech

South Tampa Coffee House Already a Home to Politics

Buddy Brew in South Tampa is looking to benefit from the RNC and its status as a political hotspot.

picked up national attention after Mitt Romney stopped in for a cup last year and are looking to do it again.

It was June of 2011 that the presidential candidate stopped in for one of County Commissioner Mark Sharpe's regular podcasts from the coffee shop and in doing so committed a political gaffe that drew national attention when he joked that he too was "out of work."

"Every media outlet in the world picked that up," Susan told the Tampa Tribune. "And they ran a photo of Romney with our logo right there behind him."

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Buddy Brew, which roasts its beans right there in the shop, has hosted Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty and others for political chats since and is something the shop hopes to capitalize on as the RNC rolls into town.

"We'll probably get a lot of foot traffic with all the extra people downtown," Ward told the Tribune.

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What do you think? Will Hyde Park businesses like Buddy Brew see an increase in traffic during the RNC? Tell us in the comments section below.

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