As Olympic world champion skiers and snowboarders prepare to launch off of a 140-foot-high ramp built for the Polartec Big Air games at Fenway Park, local businesses and bars in the area are preparing for the event with a more ground-level approach.
Thousands of people will be flocking to Fenway Park this Thursday and Friday to watch athletes from around the world, including snowboarding Olympic champion Sage Kotsenburg and Olympian Ty Walker, battle for first place. Run in accordance with the International Ski Federation World Cup tour, the event is expected to bring a lot of traffic to the City of Boston.
For Fenway’s businesses, though, that can mean two things: more revenue and more work for employees.
The bar manager at Thornton’s Fenway Bar and Grille, John O’Meara, said he found preparing the essentials to be key. Ordering their highest-selling beer, Bud Light, in greater quantities is one of the crucial steps, he said.
“We don’t usually have a door person or an ID machine,” O’Meara said. “However, with bigger events such as Big Air, that might be something we undertake in the event that we have a larger crowd.”
For neighborhood joints such as Thornton’s, there are also possible limitations when dealing with big crowds, specifically when it comes to size and seating. The restaurant is relatively small — there are only 16 indoor tables — so there is only so much the place can do, O’Meara explained.
“During events such as Red Sox games, we are pretty set with our outdoor patio, which provides some extra seating,” he said. “However, it will be a little different now that we don’t have that open. It makes it all together a little more difficult.”
While businesses always appreciate an increase in sales and larger crowds, neighborhood joints generally focus on being aware of the influx and ready to take on the bigger challenge.
Yet as Thornton’s plans on approaching the Polartec Big Air event by upping its game and preparing for the larger crowds, the homey Lansdowne Pub plans on taking a different approach: sticking to its norm.
“Since we are a neighborhood place, Lansdowne Pub has always been a great spot when people are coming to the park,” said Meghan Harrell, a spokesperson for Landsdowne Pub at Fenway.
Harrell said Landsdowne Pub is going to continue what it does best, which includes great hospitality, great food and a great overall experience. In terms of specials, the deals and features really depend on the event that is happening in the park the night of, she said. For the Big Air event, Landsdowne will be featuring entertainment during meals in order to help people further enjoy their night out.
While smaller businesses similarly pride themselves on an exceptional dining experience, Lansdowne Pub’s size gives the restaurant a slight advantage when it comes to accommodation. Sporting a performance stage, dining area and two different private rooms, the restaurant is specifically set up for big parties to come in for a meal after a concert, game or social event.
Deciding factors to choose a restaurant often include wait and speed of service, as well as the ambience. As Lansdowne Pub has a bigger seating area with more options, the pub appeals to an older crowd. Yet Thornton’s, though it’ll have less seating, is seen as a better spot for kids and families.
Regardless of their preparations, or lack thereof, local businesses have a taste of big crowds from the events that take place at Fenway regularly, so Big Air will be another opportunity for these restaurants to shine.
“I think anytime you have 35,000 people across the street, it impacts your business in a positive way,” Harrell said. “We just make sure we keep doing what we always do.”
