When the Phillies won the National League Division Series and the Eagles beat the Cowboys over the weekend, the teams weren’t the only ones celebrating — and seeing dollar signs.
Shibe Vintage Sports on 13th Street did a month’s worth of business over the weekend. Across Broad Street, excited fans celebrated the Eagles’ victory at the Good Dog Bar until 1:45 a.m. Monday.
From Philadelphia to Norristown to Bucks County, restaurants, bars and sports memorabilia shops are reporting business increases of 20% or more in recent weeks. Owners say the Phillies’ playoff run is thanks to the Eagles’ undefeated start to the season.
“It’s a dream come true to have two teams doing amazing things,” said Christopher Mullins Jr., owner of McGillin’s Old Ale House in Center City. “It’s very depressing. … There’s a whole new life on the streets, life spilling away from the stadium lights of South Philly and into the bars and storefronts.
The fall is always a boon for the region’s sports businesses, several owners said, with the Eagles traditionally drawing the largest crowds of any Philly team.
But the fall is not often This Profitable.
Fans were thrilled as the Birds started the season 6-0 for the first time since 2004 and the Phillies played postseason baseball for the first time in over a decade. At the same time, there is a sense of camaraderie and excitement about the competition. The beginning The Sixers’ and Flyers’ seasons.
In recent weeks, renewed fans have shown a greater willingness to spend — not just on game tickets, but on stiff bar tabs and new jerseys, hats and other swag.
» Read more: Why Phillies and Eagles success can make you happier, even if you’re not a fan
Co-owner Brian Michaels said business at Shibe has been increasing since the Eagles’ season began, with October sales up 50 percent from last month.
Eagle gear has been a top seller at Shibe. But Michaels said long-sleeve Phillies shirts, knit caps and hats are flying off the shelves. Schools have Phillies and Eagles themed days, so do children’s clothing, he said.
Last weekend was very busy, he said.
“With Phils home games and night [Eagles] Gaming, giving people more time to shop, it all went into a perfect storm,” Michael said.
Good Dog, near 15th and Locust, did his best work in months when the Phillies took over the division, owner Dave Gary said. It was a busy Sunday, with fans drinking in the bar until the wee hours of the morning, something Gary said the Eagles don’t do when they lose.
“When they win, everyone is happy. They always want the last one when they go home,” said Gary, whose Good Dog business was up 30% last week from the week before.
In McGillin, where Eagles games draw large crowds, the Phillies’ playoff run is the biggest benefit, Mullins said.
He said the historic watering hole is almost always packed from 9 a.m. and is closed on weekends. But if the Phillies play during the day, it starts to fill up around noon, he said.
During the week, some remote workers are posted with their laptops for a game of baseball at noon. Others who returned to the office took extended lunches, Mullins said, or finished early to catch up with colleagues. The scene is busier than usual, with weekday lunch crowds dwindling since the outbreak.
“That’s why it’s more expensive to have these games,” Mullins said.
Overall business is up 25 percent.
The effect is also seen in the suburbs.
At Steppy 2912 Restaurant and Bar in Norristown, manager Anthony Taormina said any team in the playoffs will dampen business. He said he can expect business to increase by 25 percent on Phillies playoff days.
More people are coming to Bucks County Baseball Co., a sports memorabilia store in Bristol, and online sales are up at least 20% in the past two weeks, said JP Lutz, who co-owns it with his father, Jim.
“I think what made this year special in the championship game was that the Phillies didn’t expect to make the playoffs. And for the most part, the Eagles’ run was surprising,” he said.
While some people are buying vintage gear from past champions as good luck charms, the new generation is getting excited about the Phillies, he said.
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Michaels of Lutz and Shibe said they are looking to increase inventory heading into the holiday season and order more Phyllis items than usual.
“If there’s a lineup, we’ll be right in the middle of things,” Michaels said. “We will place an order with our suppliers next week so they can go through to the next round and win that.”
Restaurant owners are also thinking ahead by increasing staffing on Phillies game days and preparing for championship celebrations — all without disturbing their favorite teams.
He said the toil of such celebrations was worth it – both for the increased sales and the excitement it brought to the city.
In the year Good Dog Gary recalled helping Bartend after the Phillies’ 2008 World Series victory. Typically, “New Year’s Day is very busy. The World Series and the Super Bowl blow that out of the water.
