Minneapolis, St. Paul businesses benefit from playoff boost
A locally owned business in the heart of downtown Minneapolis for more than 40 years, Lyon's Pub has been there for every sports high and low, and the last three summers have been nothing but highs when it comes to the Wolves
"We've been able to stay alive, vibrant and relevant, and we just kind of stick to who we are," Jason Leslin said. "It pays the bills, just for the business, the employees, and myself personally. I mean, it's everything to us, it really is."
Leslin has worked in the kitchen of Lyon's Pub for 13 years, and he says playoff home game days are something special
"It's unbelievable, it's zero to 60 all day and then all of a sudden it gets to be 30 minutes before game time, the place empties out, and we're all able to catch our breath and go, ' Wow, did we just do that?'" Leslin said.
On the other side of the river in St. Paul, they have two playoff teams: the Wild and the Frost, drawing crowds to West 7th Street bars and restaurants.
The street shut down for the first wild home game of the second round against the Avalanche, and it was a hit among fans.
The excitement leads to more sales at clothing stores, too.
University of Minnesota sophomore Isabel Homme works at Smile Back Vintage in Dinkytown, and its customers are looking for game day gear for two teams right now.
"Especially after sporting events, I see a lot of people come in here or before looking for clothes before the events, that brings in a lot of people," Homme said.