CLEVELAND — As the Guardians and fans hope for a win in Game 5 of the American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, downtown Cleveland businesses are gearing up for an economic boost from postseason play.
"We're going to have a busy weekend, 100%," Vinny Griffin, general manager of Cleveland Clothing Co. on Euclid Avenue, said. "That's the first thing that goes through my mind when I find out that we were having Game 5."
Griffin knows a thing or two about "selling pride," with the walls of the building decked with sports gear. Game 5 for the Guardians means it's game on for his store.
"Based on what we're estimating, tomorrow will probably be our third-biggest day of the year," he told 3News Friday, "following eclipse day and Small Business Saturday."
While Griffin prepares to sell Cleveland pride, Dave Gruss prepares to print it. Gruss, who owns We Bleed Ohio in the 5th Street Arcade, says this postseason game has the potential to be a home run for his business.
"Nothing beats the excitement of October," Gruss remarked. "When you have all day for people to be downtown shopping, stuff like that, obviously we see a lot more pickup in that, other than a quick 1 o'clock game. But if they win, people will be downtown shopping."
Whether you're selling pride or printing it, baseball in the fall is giving Cleveland sports fans something to be proud of.
"It's nice to know that we have one team playing in the fall that's doing well," Griffin noted.