PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Many storefronts along the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory parade route will be closed on Friday, but a few brave business owners are embracing the celebration and the crush of fans.
Insomnia Cookies at Broad and Chestnut streets is seizing the moment. The doors will be open, says sales director Laura Carroll.
"A million-plus people walking by all day. We have our posters up and down Broad Street," she said.
"We're super excited. It's also Valentine's Day, our biggest day of the year. So we're going to be stacked with staff. We're really excited to give warm cookies to everybody.”
When the city announced plans for the parade, Carroll was listening.
"We wanted to know what day. And then it landed on our busiest day of the year, which has us all spinning to try to figure out plans."
The city is advising businesses to bring inside anything that’s not fixed to the sidewalk. Carroll says that shouldn't be an issue.
"We're not super concerned. We're going to have plenty of security, plenty of staff. We're lucky because our door's on the side and not facing Broad Street, so we get a little bit of protection there. And we pivot quickly.”
There are a lot of businesses along the five-mile route from South Broad Street and Pattison Avenue to the “Rocky” steps at the Art Museum. Many of the major bank branches and the small restaurants on South Broad Street are closing for the parade. Florists have had to rethink their delivery routines. Only one post office is closed—at 1713 South Broad Street.
At bars and restaurants along the side streets, patrons can expect long wait times, and they may encounter extended happy hours. Food trucks will be stationed along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Our newsgathering partners at NBC10 compiled a list of places to eat, drink and celebrate after the parade.
And Mayor Cherelle Parker has promised that the celebration will be packed up and on it way before your Valentine’s Day reservations.
"Nothing will interfere with our restaurant reservations on that evening," she said this week. "We will be done well before you are to appear for dinner, so don't you dare touch those reservations."