GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) — At Hinterland Brewery, the playoff rush isn’t over yet.
“The day after a game day, with people staying in town, they tend to hangout for lunch and then head back home,” Business Manager Beth Barnstorff told Local 5.
The brewery and restaurant is operating at only 50 percent capacity.
Even so, the past two weekends have been relatively busy, thanks to the Packers.
“They definitely bring a lot of people into the community, and being directly across the street from them, they help a huge amount,” Barnstorff said.
The NFC Championship game didn’t end in a way that Packers fans had hoped for, but hosting the playoff run here at Lambeau Field wasn’t all for nothing, according to Greater Green Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau President & CEO Brad Toll said.
“As Packers fans of course, it’s a disappointing Monday, ” Toll said, “but from a tourism standpoint, both of these games were very very helpful.”
The games saw fans checking into Green Bay’s hotels.
“For the divisional round, we were at about 60-percent occupancy, and throughout the course of 2020, we averaged about 37-percent so definitely an improvement over what we’ve been seeing,” Toll explained.
In years that aren’t 2020, a Packers weekend would usually mean a 98-percent capacity.
“It’s not normal,” Toll said. “There’s been nothing normal about the past year, but definitely for January a great boost and a great way to start off a tough year.”
Barnstorff agreed, “First quarter is always rough. After the holidays people tend to stay in, and having those games really helps because it does bring people out.”
Many are hoping the past two weekends are a preview of what’s to come.
“People are seeing that you can use masks and sanitizing, socially distancing, we can still exist with the pandemic,” Toll said.
Back at Hinterland Brewery, anticipation for next season is already beginning.
“We can’t wait until the season starts back up again,” Barnstorff said. “We’re looking forward to seeing what’s going to happen.”
