Coronavirus Hits Local Businesses Hard, Especially Those That Rely On Fans At TD Garden

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BOSTON (CBS) - On a good year, springtime is busy around TD Garden.

However, as professional sports organizations – including the National Hockey League and the National Basketball League, suspend the season due to the coronavirus threat, businesses that rely on the games are hurting.

Tony Costa shakes elbows with a customer at The Fours Boston. (WBZ-TV)

When the NBA and NHL suspended play, it wasn't a ripple effect around the garden, it was a tidal way.

No fans means no customers at Cimi's Pizza, a new place on Friend Street.

"It hurts, because especially as a small business and especially us. We've been open, like, four months in our first retail location," said Joe Spagnola of Cimi's Pizza.

Halftime Pizza is feeling the pinch of coronavirus. (WBZ-TV)

Halftime Pizza has been on Causeway Street for 40 years.

"It is definitely going to hurt," said Rita Pasquale, who works at Halftime. "We're right at the end of our season. We still have a lot of games to go. But I feel like there are so many other people who have been hurt by this."

Fours Boston has been on Canal Street for 44 years, but now manager Tony Costa said he's just trying to keep his staff working.

"The economic impact will hurt," Costa said. "You go from a full staff of employees down to five or ten a night and you don't know what the fans are going to do."