Businesses and residents in the West End are gearing up for an influx of activity as the Boston Celtics and Bruins begin their respective seasons.
Last June, the Celtics won the NBA championship after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in the Finals, and caused massive crowds to fill up Causeway Street.
Throughout the rest of the summer, TD Garden hosted concerts and other events. Justino Pasquale, manager of Halftime King of Pizza on Causeway Street, said the volume of traffic from the basketball and hockey seasons does not compare to other events at TD Garden.
In the aftermath of the Celtics’ championship game, Pasquale said the Halftime King of Pizza and its staff worked long hours to deal with the “chaos” of fans celebrating.
“As much as it was awesome seeing them win, we were so happy when it was over,” Pasquale said.
Since the Bruins’ season started last week, the area has seen an uptick in business flow, Pasquale said. The restaurant will hire more part-time employees heading into the start of the Celtics’ regular season.
“[In] the preseason, usually we’re not expecting a lot, just because the season’s right around the corner,” Pasquale said. “But this year, for sure, since they won, it’s probably been one of the busier preseasons.”
Dale Nickerson, a Boston resident and business analyst, said he tries to attend at least a couple of Bruins and Celtics games every year. He goes to bars before and after games, as they are “always buzzing” on game days.
“It’s absolutely electric,” Nickerson said. “There’s just a really strong sense of togetherness whenever there’s a game in Boston.”
Susann Benoit, a board member for the West End Civic Association and chair of its Zoning and Planning Committee, said both sports seasons starting is “always exciting” for the West End community and the businesses in the area.
“We do have a lot of entertainment at the Garden and the other venues in the area,” Benoit said. “But the Celtics and the Bruins are at a different level.”
The Hub on Causeway, a mixed-use development in the West End, features retail and entertainment spaces as well as an entrance to TD Garden and North Station. It has led to “an expansion of activity” in the area, Benoit said.
“It can get very quiet in that part of town, if there [is] no sports and there is no big name at the Garden,” she said.
The Celtics lost their last preseason game by one point against the Toronto Raptors Tuesday night. They will play the first game of the regular season on Oct. 22 against the New York Knicks. The Bruins’ next home game is against the Dallas Stars on Oct. 24.
“We’re always rooting for a long playoff run,” Pasquale said. “It’s better for the businesses in the area.”
