SEATTLE — Businesses in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood are thrilled to have the Kraken back on the ice, hoping for a great season with a boost in sales.
"The Kraken means so much to my business,” said Marco Alvarado. “I'm still trying to grow."
Marco Alvarado, the owner of one of Queen Anne's newest businesses, Atlas Sports and Spirits, is in high spirits now that the NHL season is back.
"I love it, I love it, they're keeping me in business," said Alvarado.
His business is located just a block away from Climate Pledge Arena. It's only been open for a year, but Alvarado says it's thriving, especially during the hockey season.
"The Kraken keep this area floating through April," said Alvarado.
When the Kraken play at home, he orders about double the amount of beer and liquor and a quarter more wings to ensure he can serve his customers.
"Hour, hour and a half before the game, you get a rush,” said Alvarado. “Sometimes there's game days when there's people waiting. It's a good problem to have."
According to the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA), before the Kraken existed and the Climate Pledge Arena opened, from Oct. 10, 2018, until April 11, 2019, there were 1.9 million visits to the Seattle Center. That number of visits surged last year during that same time, when the Kraken were playing, with 3.2 million people visiting the area. The DSA said it can’t say that all of the increase was due to the Kraken, but it’s likely that quite a bit of the increase is attributable to the Seattle Kraken since most other parts of Seattle Center remained steady.
"The kids with their jerseys and the families,” said Michel Duran. “They came together, it's very amazing to see."
Duran is the manager of Agave, another business reaping the benefits of being so close to where the Kraken play.
"It brings all the crowds to activate all the local businesses, you know," said Duran.
Many businesses and fans will continue to cheer on this team for the next several months.
"I appreciate the Kraken for bringing the fans, and more than anything, I appreciate the fans and the people that support here," said Alvarado.
The Kraken will be on the road for the next couple of games. The team's next home game will be Thursday, Oct. 17, against the Philadelphia Flyers.