The Giants’ win helps SF economy

Throughout the San Francisco Giants’ 2010 World Series push, fans have flooded San Francisco’s China Basin, bringing their wallets with them.

Even on a cloudy day when the Giants are playing an away game, hundreds of fans have converged on the streets surrounding AT&T Ballpark to be among like-minded sports enthusiasts to take part in the merriment.

Although the main Giants Dugout store was closed, an auxiliary trailer was set up to meet the demand of the throngs of fans who were lined up to purchase memorabilia, passing cash hand over fist.

Store cashiers worked feverishly, selling everything from sweatshirts to miniature novelty bats.

One of them stated what had now become obvious to everyone there: “sales are kicking!”

Enrique Barreato, who manages a t-shirt stand with his son inside the Happy Donuts across the street from the ballpark, was smiling ear-to-ear as he watched his merchandise fly off the shelves.

“Everyone’s been doing money,” said Barreato, whose sales have been ten times greater than usual since the start of the playoffs.

Among his top selling T-shirts are, “Fear the Beard,” and “Torture,” the ironic unofficial slogan for Giants baseball, which has brought so much pleasure to fans.

Standing elbow-to-elbow at O’Neills Irish Pub, fans were immersed in a sea orange and black.

Giants fans were in great spirits as cocktails flowed and the now infamous aroma of marijuana hung over the bar.

The pub has been overwhelmed with fans looking to celebrate their team’s success.

“The crowds have been good, overflowing into the morning until last call,” said O’Neills’ Aron Ahlvin.

“Big crowds mean big sales,” said Ahlvin, who also stated that they had gone through 20 kegs in two days, record sales for the bar since it opened in 2007.

O’Neills has had to clear out a storage area to provide space for the overflow crowds.

“This puts any Dodgers series to shame,” said Ahlvin.

The line of people trying to get into the standing room-only Public House, a sports bar located inside AT&T Park, stretched around the corner.

Among those waiting to get in was CSU East Bay alum, Nook Babto, wearing a fake beard in tribute to Giants closer Brian “Fear the Beard” Wilson.

Babto said that she had come down to 3rd and King Street with her friends “to be where the madness is with the crowd.”

She didn’t realize that the crowd would be so big that she would be standing outside right before the first pitch.

“I’m surprised, it isn’t even a home game,” said Babto.

Monday night, after the Giants clinched the World Series for the first time since the franchised moved from New York, Hayward could not have seemed further away from San Francisco.

Although the victory celebration was playing on the television screen at the 821 Lounge on Mission Boulevard, the handful of patrons present were less than elated.

Across town at the B Street Bar & Grill, a small crowd had shown up to watch the game, but they quickly left after the final pitch.

Across the Bay, huge sales have not come as a surprise for local businesses.

According to a report from the College of the Holy Cross, the 1989 World Series between San Francisco and Oakland increased the local gross domestic product by 2.3 percent.

The economic benefits from this year’s World Series are sure to rival that of 1989, as millions of dollars flow into Bay Area shops, bars, and hotels.

San Francisco is already a world-renowned destination for tourists—adding in a World Series spells big business.

“Beyond the obvious direct spending, this will benefit all San Franciscans through the taxes and fees generated by visitor spending,” said Joe D’Alessandro, CEO of the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The World Series is providing its own type of stimulus plan for local business.

Now that the Giants are in fact world champions, it is certain that even more drinks and merchandise will be bought over the coming months and years.