Tens of thousands of fans riding the high of witnessing Canada’s men’s national team notch its first-ever win at the World Cup filled Granville Street on Thursday.
And businesses along the strip had a win of their own.
“It was far and away the best day of business we ever had,” said Nate Sabine, director of business development at Blueprint, an entertainment company.
He adds that Thursday’s revenue from FIFA festivities was 10 times higher than normal.
Another business CityNews spoke with said that Thursday brought more sales in an hour than they saw in a typical week.
“I think everybody is seeing this on the strip; it’s unbelievable. That’s the only word for it,” Sabine said.
He adds that the entertainment district had been suffering for years leading up to FIFA, and with the pedestrian zone becoming a massive hit, he hopes it becomes a permanent summertime tradition.
“The locals and the international visitors alike have really banded together; this is ideal, and the number of people on the street that are celebrating it is so much more intense than 2010,” comparing the festivities to the time when Vancouver hosted the Olympic Winter Games.
While businesses downtown are cashing in, businesses across the bridges tell a somewhat different story.
“We have not seen that big impact yet; there is still a lot of soccer left. We’re still early on, but the businesses are letting us know that it’s definitely been a soft start,” said Neil Wyles, executive director of the Mount Pleasant Business Improvement Association
He adds that many businesses outside of the downtown core are relying on locals as opposed to tourists.
With downtown and the FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE becoming the central hubs for people, Wyles says it draws business away from the neighbourhood.
“It’s not the waves of people that they were hoping for,” he said.
Mount Pleasant isn’t alone; in an email to CityNews, Vancouver’s Westend BIA says the FIFA boom is mixed, with some having not noted much of a difference, while others have seen increases in sales.
While every Canadian is still celebrating the big win, not every business is seeing it on the scoreboard.