Businesses have many customers despite move of game
Border Showdown still draws crowds out in Lawrence
With Saturday’s game being held in Kansas City, Mo., Lawrence business owners expected to lose money during the weekend. Crowds of people still showed up, however, to eat, drink and buy merchandise.
By Courtney Condron , Jeff Deters
Monday, November 26th, 2007
Lawrence businesses experienced big crowds and an exciting atmosphere leading up to Saturday’s football game, despite the game moving to Kansas City.
At 2 p.m. Sunday, Jerry Neverve was cleaning up the mess after Kansas lost 36-28 to Missouri Saturday night at Arrowhead Stadium.
Neverve, owner of the Red Lyon Tavern located at 944 Mass., St., said by 6 p.m. Saturday night, the bar was already filled to capacity with 101 fans wanting to watch the game. He said during the first half when Kansas played lethargically, the crowd seemed a little somber, but after halftime he said the intensity of the crowd picked up as Kansas played its way back into the game.
“In the second half, everybody got into it,” Neverve said.
"Restraunts and bars weren’t the only businesses cashing in on Saturday’s game. Apparel stores also experienced a burst of patronage."
While the cheers weren’t enough to help propel Kansas to victory, Neverve said that following the game, many fans discussed how Kansas would have won the game if it had been played at Memorial Stadium.
Catlyn Burkett, Quinton’s Bar and Grill bartender, said the downstairs of the bar was packed with mostly college students.
“It was pretty exciting until the end of the game,” Burkett said. “Then there was a lot of anger and dissapointment, and everyone pretty much left.”
Ian Stine, manager at Set ‘Em Up Jacks, 1800 E. 23 rd St., said at 5 p.m. Saturday, the restaurant was full. He said most of the customers who had dinner also stayed to watch the game. He said during the first half, many in the crowd complained about the officiating and Kansas’ mistakes on offense.
Stine added that the crowd was intense throughout the game, but that ended when the final second ticked off the clock.
“The air went out pretty quick,” he said.
Restraunts and bars weren’t the only businesses cashing in on Saturday’s game. Apparel stores also experienced a burst of patronage.
Cami Wooden, a garment buyer for Jayhawk Bookstore and a Council Grove junior, said the bookstore was extraordinarily busy. She said they had more sales on Saturday than they did on “Black Friday,” usually known as the biggest shopping day of the year.
“Our Mizzou shirts are pretty much sold out, and everyone was gearing up for the cold weather,” Wooden said.
Wooden said it was hard to tell if moving the game to Kansas City affected sales.
“It would have been different if the game was here, because then people would actually be walking by the store, instead of having to stop in Lawrence to buy stuff,” she said. “I imagine it helped businesses in Kansas City more than here.”
Jock’s Nitch Sporting Goods also had large crowds for the game. Kelsey Allen, sales associate and Olathe junior, said they were almost as busy as around Christmas. She said they were almost completely sold out of stocking caps and gloves. She said that because so many people were out shopping during Thanksgiving, she didn’t feel that moving the game away from Lawrence affected the store’s sales too much.
“With it being such a big game, and people so into it, it really didn’t hurt us too bad,” Allen said.
No one was more disappointed with the loss than fans at Arrowhead.
Reid Robson, Overland Park freshman, attended the game. He said it was probably the biggest sporting event he had ever been to, even though it didn’t end the way he wanted.
“I knew after we missed the first two field goals that KU wasn’t looking like we usually do, and that we were going to lose,” Robson said.
Brad Todd, Seneca sophomore, also went to the game. He was disappointed by the loss, but thought the better team won the game. He said playing the game at Memorial Stadium wouldn’t have made a difference.
“Not the way we played,” Todd said. “They dominated our offensive line. We couldn’t run the ball.”
Todd said had the Jayhawks won the game, he and some friends would have followed the team this weekend to the Alamodome in San Antonio for the Big 12 Championship Game.
“It was really disappointing,” he said. “It kind of ruined our season. But we’ll still get a good Bowl. But it hurts to lose to Missouri.”
— Edited by Kaitlyn Syring
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