At lunchtime Wednesday, a couple driving from Tennessee to Birmingham left Interstate 65 at exit 351 and drove five miles to visit downtown Athens.

“They heard about us and pulled off,” said James Foster, general manager at Giovanni’s Italian Bistro, a newly opened restaurant on Limestone County Courthouse Square. “We had them coming from everywhere today — Huntsville, Cullman, Tennessee.”

Proponents of legalized alcohol sales in the city of Athens point to these visitors and the growth since the first beer was sold in January 2004 as reasons to vote for keeping sales in a special election Aug. 14 to decide the issue.

Giovanni’s, which serves alcohol, opened in July, but even after just two weeks, the impact of an upscale restaurant on the once-flagging downtown area has shop owners buzzing.

Businesses that existed before legal sale of alcohol — whether or not they sell alcohol — are benefiting from the growth since 2004, most owners say.

“I can just say the spirit downtown is very energetic and exciting because of the increased traffic,” said artist Carol Forét, whose gallery and photography studio are located next door to Giovanni’s.

Those owners are now faced with the possibility of losing that customer draw, if city residents vote to repeal the legalized sale of alcohol.

Since legal alcohol sales began in 2004, Athens has seen an influx of restaurants — those selling alcohol and those that do not — as well as other retail businesses. Where previously downtown Athens drew only home-cooking-style restaurants and delis that served only lunch, it will have three new restaurants this year — including Giovanni’s, Oasis and LuVici’s.

“It’s doing for our economy exactly what we ought to be doing,” Forét said. A group was formed last year called Spirit of Athens to help determine ways to draw more people downtown. While the non-profit group does not take a stance on political issues, members have said drawing quality restaurants to add nighttime traffic benefits downtown merchants.

Hubert Crow, who owns Pablo’s on Market with his wife Carolyn, said the book and gift shop and deli-style eatery has increased its hours to accommodate the after 5 p.m. traffic flow since Giovanni’s opened.

“We’ve had some increased traffic,” Hubert said. “They come in when they’re waiting at the restaurant.”

People waiting for a table at the popular restaurant receive a buzzer that will work up to two miles from the restaurant, so they can browse in shops while they wait to be notified a table is available.

Pablo’s stayed open until 8 p.m. nightly the first two weeks after Giovanni’s opened, and will begin this week opening Monday through Thursday until 6 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays until 8 p.m., he said.

Forét and Hubert Crow said some people wandering the Limestone County Courthouse Square at night might be first-time visitors to downtown, perhaps because they work in neighboring cities and could not come downtown for lunch and shopping before retailers closed.

Nita Stephens of Athens has been downtown three times in the past two weeks — for two dinners and a lunch at Giovanni’s — increasing her typical trips to the courthouse square. On a lunchtime visit with her daughter, she said she visited several shops, such as Pimento’s, Pablo’s on Market and Grayson Scott Interiors.