PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphians have high hopes for the Phillies, who won Game 3 of the National League Championship Series Friday night at home — and some are already thinking ahead to the World Series.
While we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves just yet, there could be a lot of celebrating in the streets of Philly if they do win it all. Some retailers on Chestnut Street in Center City spoke to KYW Newsradio about how they plan to keep their stores safe.
So what’s it like to run a retail store in the midst of a championship celebration?
"There was a little trouble on Chestnut Street when [the Eagles] won the Super Bowl, but it wasn't really widespread," said Shannon Dorsey, manager of the 2nd Street clothing store on Chestnut Street.
She told KYW Newsradio that the last time the Phillies won the World Series, in 2008, she managed the Center City Blockbuster. "There were some knuckleheads," she recalled, "but the majority of the people were just ecstatic for the city."
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Looking ahead to a potential Phillies championship, Amadu Thiam, general manager of Portabella, said if celebrations get wild, they'll just close early. "If we have to close the store, we're going to close but regarding the windows, we can do nothing," he said.
But Sam Miller, assistant general manager of Buffalo Exchange, says keeping the store safe during a World Series celebration hasn’t come up yet in their managers’ meeting.
"I have no idea ... we haven't really talked about it," she said. "I feel like Philly is pretty used to it at this point. The store has been here for about five years in this location, and I think it lasted through the last couple events. So hopefully we'll still be open and everything will work out well."
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Dorsey, however, said her store has a contingency plan in place, as she predicts they would be in the middle of the celebration. "To make sure that everyone has a safe plan to get home, that we're all on the same page and I have everyone's phone number just in case we do have to close early," she shared, "so that people can know not to even venture out into the streets, and get stuck, because this will probably be where everybody will come to."
While she has a plan in place, Dorsey said she doesn't think the activity will be as bad as 2020's protests. "I don't think so," she predicted. "They just want to party and have a good time. They're not interested in destruction. We'll probably just bring the gates down ... just safer for everybody."