Philadelphia bars see surge in business as FIFA fans flock indoors for rain-soaked match

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- While severe weather disrupted FIFA World Cup festivities in Philadelphia on Monday, local bars saw a significant boost in business as thousands of soccer fans sought shelter indoors.

Heavy rain delayed part of the evening match and forced organizers to cancel the Fan Fest at Lemon Hill, sending fans searching for alternate places to watch the game.

At Black Taxi in Fairmount, manager Neil McKernan said the weather-driven crowds only added to what has already been a busy tournament.

"When the Fan Fest shut down with the storm, it was just hundreds of people descending on this place," McKernan said.

McKernan said the pub has been packed throughout the tournament, prompting the business to add a pop-up outdoor bar to accommodate the growing crowds.

"Packed today, packed yesterday, packed every day. It's good," he said.

Visitors from out of town said the cancellation was disappointing, but they were happy to find a lively atmosphere elsewhere.

"We were stopped by another fan who was on his way out of the Fan Fest to let us know that it was closed for the rest of the day, which is super unfortunate because we're only here for one day," said Aidan Rinehart of Silver Spring, Maryland.

A few blocks away, Bad Brother has also experienced a dramatic increase in business since the tournament began.

"Business has been crazy. We actually switched up our entire model, really for service," said co-owner Xander Pund, noting the restaurant added lunch service to meet demand.

Pund said sales have increased roughly 30% since FIFA events arrived in Philadelphia, with Friday marking the busiest day in the restaurant's history. Beer sales have climbed about 50%, leading to occasional shortages.

"Every day it's been getting busier and busier. We've been running out of stuff left and right," Pund said.

Among the items that sold out were Miller High Life bottles and several products from Philadelphia-based Stateside Vodka.

"We ran out of Miller High Life bottles, which is a pretty big deal," Pune said.

The shortages were temporary, and the restaurant has since restocked.

Pund said many businesses underestimated the demand generated by the international soccer tournament.

"I think a lot of bars are going through this thing right now where they're like, 'Oh crap, we should be over-ordering right now,'" he said.

Fans said the bar atmosphere has become part of their tournament experience.

"I already looked at the calendar. I was like, USA plays on July 1, we're coming here, and then we're going to Fan Fest," said Gillian Fennessey of Philadelphia's Graduate Hospital neighborhood.