Edmonton businesses near Rogers Place Arena aren’t the only ones celebrating a sales boost from the Oilers’ Stanley Cup Finals run.
In St. Albert, some businesses are seeing foot traffic double on game nights.
That’s the case for the Thirsty Rooster Eatery and Bar, where anywhere from 100 to 150 fans are heading for game-day deals on wings and beer and to communally experience the highs (and lows) of the final games in the Oilers’ most successful season since 2006.
The Rooster even expanded its patio because of the games.
“We felt we were going to get a run, and we wanted to make an outside watch party for St. Albert,” said co-owner Ken Shebib.
Shebib said that, especially on weekday game nights, the crowd thins out fast once the Oilers leave the ice.
He’s been inviting bands to play after the game to keep patrons hanging out a bit longer.
And to capitalize on playoff fever, Shebib and co-owner Lindsay Keys decided on a patio party worth $500 for six people. Customers enter to win whenever they stop by for the game.
“That's really garnered some loyalty,” he said.
At Sports Closet in St. Albert Centre, sales for Oilers merchandise have risen alongside the team’s ascension through the playoffs, each round bringing a new and growing wave of casual and hardcore fans to the store.
“It’s been almost overwhelming at times,” said store manager Nick Caputo. “If a game day falls on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, it's going to be insane.”
Caputo estimates the store has been selling three or four times the amount of inventory it would normally do this time of year.
And it’s not all jerseys. With the Oilers playing in the Stanley Cup Finals, fans’ tastes have become more diverse.
“Lately people are just decking out completely,” Caputo said. “[They’re] blinging out with the team chains with the logos and players’ faces on them, little Stanley Cups … especially when they’re going to watch parties.”
Sales for baseball merchandise typically rise in the springtime, but they have fallen off somewhat this year, probably because fans are spending more money on Oilers gear, Caputo said.
“It’s been fantastic,” said Troy Marchak, owner of Crown and Tower Pub. “On game nights, it's exciting. We're packed. Everyone's pumped. It’s a great atmosphere inside the bar. Everyone's really excited for the Oilers.”
The bar has been doing game day pint specials for some beers and giving away game tickets, jerseys and other Oilers merch.
Marchak thinks it “might be a bit of a letdown” once the finals wrap.
“But hopefully, we can just kind of continue the momentum of the business,” he said. “And you know, with the [Edmonton] Elks coming, maybe we can continue it that way.”
