TOLEDO, Ohio — With the Toledo Mud Hens finished for the year and the Walleye still weeks away from their season opener, downtown businesses are working to keep customers coming through their doors.

For some, the solution is entertainment. Riverside Barbecue Co., a newly opened restaurant in Ostrich Towne, is banking on live music and the buzz of being the new spot in town.

“Being new, absolutely, is a boon for us right now because people want to try us,” said owner Paul Matthews. “They’ve been waiting for us to open, so we are getting a lot of those first-time guests coming in, which during this time of year, when there is a lull in downtown big events, is helpful.”

Others, like the Whiskey Red Saloon on Jefferson Avenue, are leaning on food, drink specials and live entertainment t

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