Shops stock up before football frenzy
Posted: Aug 30, 2011 10:19 PM EDT | Updated: Nov 6, 2014 6:56 AM EDT
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – As the Notre Dame Football Team preps for South Florida businesses on Eddy Street are gearing up for a major increase in foot traffic.
"I don't really know if you can really prepare enough,” said Dana Roberts who is the Assistant General Manager at Jamba Juice at Eddy Street Commons.
The Eddy Street location opened its doors the day before Thanksgiving last year. So this season will be the staff’s first taste of football traffic, but they say ‘bring it on’.
"Absolute madness, hopefully, that's what we're expecting,” said Roberts.
Roberts said they’ve been taking advice from other businesses on Eddy Street on how to prepare for the crowds.
"We just over planned. Kind of doubled our normal order to try and make sure that we have everything set and ready to go,” said Roberts.
But at the end of the day, the mass amounts of people will be great for business.
"Hopefully it'll kind of double what we normally do, maybe even more. Hopefully it'll be absolutely crazy in here, there will be people lined up out the door,” said Roberts.
Downtown South Bend is hoping to get in on the boom in business, too.
"Anytime that there's anything going on in our community where there's a great number of people in town, we want to take advantage of that and show them what great things there are downtown,” said Julie Curtis with Downtown South Bend, Inc. (DTSB).
Curtis said on Friday there will be a lot going on for fans just about two miles from the stadium. DTSB is throwing a Downtown South Bend Football Block Party to kick off the season.
"We'll have tailgate food and drinks...live comedians there. So it’s going to be a great time,” said Curtis.
And to top it off, the first home game falls on the first Friday of the month, which means its First Fridays also.
"Because it is a First Friday all of the local shops and galleries will be open with later hours,” said Curtis.
Back on Eddy Street, Roberts said it’ll be hard for them to close at the end of the night, if business is still coming in after the game Saturday. "We're open until 8:30, but if people are still piling in it'll be hard to shut the doors,” said Roberts.