Vancouver Businesses Report Sales Slump During FIFA World Cup

Contrary to expectations, some Vancouver businesses are reporting a downturn in sales during the FIFA World Cup, with establishments in Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside experiencing a noticeable drop in customers.

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I didn’t expect it to be good; I thought it was going to be bad, because the Olympics were bad.

Erin Templeton, owner of a leather and vintage store in Chinatown, described May as her best month ever, but noted a stark decline in customers starting June 1. She expressed disappointment, stating, "I didn’t expect it to be good; I thought it was going to be bad, because the Olympics were bad." Templeton added, "I didn’t expect it to be good, I didn’t expect that it would be so, such a drop… I like soccer so you know I understand, but it does kind of suck because we count on summer a lot."

Similarly, Bao Bei restaurant on Keefer Street reported a 30% decrease in business compared to the same period last year. Owner Tannis Ling explained that despite initial assumptions that street closures might funnel people towards their area, the opposite has occurred, with Chinatown becoming "a bit of a ghost town" on game days. Ling mentioned that the past six years have been challenging, and they were relying on the influx of FIFA fans to help sustain their business through the summer and into winter.

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I didn’t expect it to be good, I didn’t expect that it would be so, such a drop… I like soccer so you know I understand, but it does kind of suck because we count on summer a lot.

The Underground Comedy Club also saw a significant hit, with revenue dropping over 30% during the World Cup's opening weekend. Organizers anticipate a further 70% decrease in ticket sales for the upcoming weekend. Owner Jon Gagnon believes FIFA is direct competition, drawing the same demographic interested in live entertainment. He described the situation as "David versus Goliath," noting that they cannot compete with FIFA's marketing power and resources.

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I think we were expecting it to be quite busy, because we looked at all the street closures and it looked like Keefer Street was going to be the only one open to traffic and it felt like they were going to be funneling people from the stadium up here, but it’s actually been the opposite.

Despite these challenges, local stores and restaurants are keen to remind the public that they are still open for business and remain accessible, even with the ongoing FIFA road closures.

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I guess they’re actually funneling people downtown, so I wasn’t here for game day, but my manager said Chinatown was a bit of a ghost town.