Can you get a sense of the economy by hanging out at a bar? Scott Gerber thinks you can. As principal and ceo of Gerber Group, he has 13 venues under his helm. Spaces like Whiskey Blue, Irvington, Kingside and The Roof are a few of his successful Manhattan-based properties. But he also has lounges in Atlanta and Santiago, Chile. We recently got to talk with Gerber at his newest place, Mr. Purple, a rooftop bar and restaurant located on the 15th floor of Hotel Indigo Lower East Side. With views of the Freedom Tower at one end and the Empire State from the other end, the spot is iconic. And while spaces and stock markets change over the years, the one thing that stays steady is hospitality. "I can't change the taste of a Heineken," he says. It's the hospitality differentiates you." To get his views on the economy, you have to watch the video. But there is an old adage that says "When times are good, people drink. When times are bad people drink more." TheStreet's Special Correspondent Tracy Byrnes has details from Wall Street.
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