Local businesses looking to score big from 49ers Super Bowl appearance
SANTA MARIA, Calif. – After the San Francisco 49ers' dramatic comeback victory in Sunday's NFC Championship Game, many Central Coast businesses are looking to score big with the team's upcoming appearance in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
Businesses, especially those that sell sports memorabilia and merchandise, as well as restaurants, liquor stores, and markets are expecting an increase in sales with the 49ers set to play in the big game on Feb. 11.
"We expect to do a ton of business the next couple of weeks," said Curt Miller, owner of Sportscard Fantasy's, a sports merchandise store located in the Santa Maria Town Center mall. "We've got plenty of Super Bowl t-shirts coming in, plus hoodies, hats and jerseys. It's amazing, people that come out and maybe never buy a jersey, but if it's Super Bowl coming up, Super Bowl parties, we get a lot of casual fans becoming hardcore fans just for that one game."
Miller added sales would definitely have been much less had the Detroit Lions defeated the 49ers on Sunday.
"Business wise, it's night and day," said Miller. "Business wise, (the Lions) are not that great for me a lot because I don't have a lot of their stuff, but mostly because they just they haven't been a good team in the last 20 years."
Across town at Straw Hat Pizza, owner Randy Wise said too is expecting a boost in sales with the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.
"Definitely a boost in sales," said Wise. "It's always nice when you get some type of local team or a regional team in the Super Bowl. You tend to be a little bit busier than you normally would."
Wise said the Super Bowl is always a very busy day for the restaurant, but with so many 49ers in the Santa Maria area who will be watching the game, he believes it will mean more pizza sales on Super Bowl Sunday.
"We get busy inside the restaurant to a certain extent," said Wise. "We do a lot of takeout business because a lot of people have their home parties and they get pizzas to go and wings to go, and so the phone is ringing, People are coming in and it's a good day overall."
Super Bowl LVIII will feature the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Feb. 11. The game will be broadcast locally on News Channel 12.
