Seattle business owners near the city’s sports stadiums are expecting a significant economic boost as the Mariners season begins and the region prepares for the upcoming World Cup.
Business owners in the Pioneer Square neighborhood say the momentum from a successful Seahawks season has created a nearly continuous stream of customers.
The surge in activity follows a period of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Data from the Alliance for Pioneer Square shows a dramatic increase in foot traffic, with more than 67,000 visitors recorded during the hours surrounding a Seahawks playoff game in January this year, compared to approximately 6,000 visitors all day on a typical January weekend day last year.
Dani Cone, the founder and owner of the modern general store Cone & Steiner, has operated in the neighborhood for more than a decade. She recalled the contrast between current stadium crowds and the lack of activity during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was a ghost town,” Cone said. “It was like you could look up and down the street anywhere, no one.”
Cone noted that the recent success of local sports teams has revitalized the area, often leading to capacity crowds at her shop.
“The line wraps all the way around, and a lot of times it can be standing room only,” Cone said. “It’s just so great to see the neighborhood really kind of come alive again.”
Farshid Varamini, the owner and president of Gantry Public House, said the consistent traffic has allowed him to reinvest in his business. Varamini is currently opening a new location near Climate Pledge Arena and has hired additional staff to meet demand.
“I struggle to keep my staff employed from December through January, because we have the couple of Seahawks games and there’s nothing else,” Varamini said. “But this year definitely a blessing for everybody. Everyone feels like we haven’t had a day off right into the next season.”
Varamini, who has worked in the area since the final year of the Kingdome, said the current atmosphere reminds him of the most active years in the neighborhood’s history. He is also updating the menu at his current establishment. “For me personally, it feels like the old days,” Varamini said.
The influx of visitors also introduces new people to the historic district. Angela Nguyen, marketing and communications manager for the Alliance for Pioneer Square, said the games attract people who might not otherwise visit the downtown area.
“It brings people that may not always come down to downtown to experience a little part of Pioneer Square that is historic and beautiful,” Nguyen said.
Business owners in the area expect the high volume of customers to continue as the Mariners begin their season and the city prepares for the upcoming World Cup. New businesses continue to open in the neighborhood to meet the demand.
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