New York Loves Euros

Awash in tourists, Big Apple shops welcome stronger currency
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 25, 2008 11:35 AM CST
New York Loves Euros
Euro coins are seen next to U.S. Dollar bills in Frankfurt, central Germany, in this Sept. 20, 2007 file photo. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, file)   (Associated Press)

Wander through the Big Apple these days and you’ll see signs like “Euros accepted!” and even “Euros Only.” The latter is a joke—dollars are accepted, as are British pounds—but many New York City merchants are more than willing to accept visitors' currency, the Washington Post reports. “I need euros,” said one street vendor. “The dollar’s going down.”

The slumping dollar has helped New York attract record numbers of tourists. “This weekend, 50% of my customers were European,” said one antique shop owner who accepts euros. Other merchants say they’re catering to jet-setting locals. Some New Yorkers aren't pleased by the trend: "I get mail saying I'm un-American," said the antique shop owner. "But it's American to adapt." (More US dollar stories.)

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