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Nov 19, 2008 8:40 pm US/Central
Saudi Royals Shop And Dine In Rochester
ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP) ―
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This is a photo of President Bush with King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz
AP
Members of the Saudi royal family have been spending money at Rochester's shops and tipping generously at the southeastern Minnesota city's best restaurants.
The family is in town because King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz is getting a checkup at the Mayo Clinic, the Rochester Post-Bulletin reported. The newspaper said they have been regulars at Chester's in the Shops at University Square, drinking the restaurant's finest wines and tipping well.
"They're super-nice people and they take really good care of the staff," Assistant General Manager Nicci Sylvester said. Saudi diners included the king himself, she said, as well as a prince who ate at the restaurant a few times.
Many of the Saudi visitors left Wednesday after loading their purchases and belongings into moving vans bound for two Saudi Arabian Airlines 747s waiting at Rochester International Airport, the Post-Bulletin reported.
The Mayo Clinic has long drawn patients from all over the globe, including several world leaders. A Mayo spokesman said he did not have any information on Abdullah's visit.
At the Apache Mall, Macy's Manager Eric Ofori-Atta said Saudi royals have shopped at the store three or four times.
"Today has been a good day, but I can't confirm how much they spent," Ofori-Atta said. "It's been good for our store and good for our community here -- they spend money."
Elsewhere in the mall, New York & Company employee Tammy Figueroa said a group of five Saudi women, including a woman who appeared to have high standing, spent around 45 minutes shopping Monday night, staying at the store after hours as they completed their purchases.
"They just shopped around and pretty much cleaned us out," Figueroa said. "They were very nice people, and very fun, too. We laughed a lot."
At the upscale Chardonnay restaurant, owner Mark Weimer said four members of the Saudi royal family inspected his establishment closely Saturday night as they decided whether to stay.
"People were checking to see if the silver was good enough quality," Weimer said.
The forks and knives passed the inspection, he said, and the group sat down for a meal.
At the Shops at University Square, stores getting business from the Saudi royal family included Sopra Sotto, Chico's and The Nordic Shop, according to employees.
"I would say they've been pretty much everywhere downtown," said Walter Hanson, who owns The Nordic Shop.
Hanson, who's been in business since 1974, said he's seen leaders from around the world pass through downtown stores may times over the years.
Weimer didn't seem surprised his silver passed muster: His restaurant has a history of drawing high-profile Mayo patients, including a recent visit by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
