European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 22, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday March 22, 1987 the stars and stripes Page 3 Dollar s fall putting squeeze on Italy gis from Page t lire per year in keep full insurance cover age on said Jim Roberts n 35-year-ofd Navy enlisted Man aligned in Allied Force Southern humps Bui. While in i9sj and lust year million lire costume around Jiff this past month 1 had to dish out j770 for the Simic restaurant hopping ii cd to be a favorite pastime of americans in Naples. Eating out is one of Ilic things we mis the most said Marisa Mulligan the wife of on army officer assigned to a South. With our kids finally grown we came to Italy looking Forward to some travel and gourmet pit stops our plan worked reasonably Well Ali in the Dollar was hovering around 2,000 lire every so often my husband and i went places and enjoyed living out All the differ ent regional dishes. Now our fixed monthly expenses Are taking a bigger bile out four budget and we can t look at a restau rant Bill so Lightheart idly. It Sun has put crimp in restaurants near Asa and of South Are feeling the effect of the weakened Dollar. For the most part the Cater to luncheon Trade from the Mili tary. But a lunch that Cost $5 a year ago now costs about 50 percent More. The Good limes arc gone and we have no More big parties of Happy guests said Armando to Piccolo of ii Fieri its restaurant a Small but popular eatery located a Short distance from Asa. The few customers who trickle in look carefully at the menu and the prices before they order. We can i lower our prices because then we would operate Al a loss. We can Only Hope the Dollar strengthens so thai we can Wel come our american patrons merchants especially those who sell luxury items report they arc taking a at shops within the of South compound say business is Lousy. At Sandra s leather shop Giovanni evangelism sits surrounded by fashionable leather bags stylish briefcases and hand some hand tooled leather accessories. She shakes her head when asked about sales look around you. There is nobody in the store. Many customers arc mainly american . They have 10 Pul out More Money for rent and utilities so they have less since the Dollar s decline americans have had id Cut Back their activities including dining out in italian restaurants. To spend on fashion items and gifts. My sales have dropped by at least 40 percent in the last few the situation in t any different Al Valentino furniture said sate clerk Olimpia Barbal Cui. The precipitous fall of inc Dollar is dealing us a fatal blow she said. We Are not Selling anything at All. We have not raised our prices since last year but thai does t compensate Tor inc fact thai now our Dollar paying customers have la dish Oul nearly twice As much for the same piece of Judy Filippini of Asa s Navy Exchange reported that inc Exchange has t experienced a in sales volume. We had to increase some prices o offset inc fact Hal local products and local labor Are now costing us More but this was offset by the fact that american products arc now More competitive so our sales amount has balanced however sales have definitely in creased at the commissary. We have noticed that traffic in the Smarc has stepped up considerably especially since september said Asa commissary officer Lisandro Gomez. The fact that the Dollar does t stretch As Faras it used to in he local markets encourages our customers to do More of their grocery shopping in the agents and organizations Cater ing to inc american military in Italy agree Hal Leisure travel has been . First by the fear of terrorism and then by the fall of inc Dollar. Last year was inc worst year i n anyone s memory said Rome i so director to Buchanan. We still offer some of he Best bargains around Bui since we have to Payfor our Tours in local currency we have had to increase prices to avoid Laki Galoss use if or lose it study confirms exercise belief Gainesville Fla
