USA! USA! USA!

I believe that we will win.  USMNT.  ‘Murica.  God Bless the USA.  All four of these plus the title of my column are slogans and catchphrases that I’ve heard all over in the past few weeks.  I’ve been talking about Germany, France, and everywhere but the United States in my last few columns, so I figured it’s time for a change!

Two very big things are happening for the United States right now, and they’re bringing the country together.  The first is the World Cup, the soccer event held every four years, in which the USA has advanced to the Round of 16.  As I’m typing this, the USA is playing Belgium, hoping to advance to the quarter finals.  The second event is, of course, Independence Day. 

So how does the World Cup and the 4^th of July relate to business?  Productivity at the workplace is decreased as employees stream the games and check their phones for game updates, and the 4^th of July is zero productivity at the workplace because (almost) everybody has the day off!  Well, like I always believe, connections to business can always be found, if one just remembers to look hard enough!

The biggest tie to businesses is those businesses that experience a rush on or around the holiday or event.  World Cup games, especially now in the knockout rounds, are entertainment for many people.  People want to sit and gather with their friends in front of a screen, and this often takes place at restaurants.  Clothing stores & sporting equipment stores often experience a rush at this time, provided they load up their inventory with their nation’s apparel and soccer balls! 

For the 4^th of July, there are two main businesses that experience rushes, grocery stores and liquor stores.  Folks want to load up on their hot dogs, corn on the cob, potato salad, and s’mores as well as their beer for the holiday, and rush to the grocery store and liquor store to make sure they’ve got all the goodies.  These places often experience a rush of customers before the holiday itself, because who wants to do errands on their day off?

Other businesses that can expect more people are tourist attractions (people with the day off want to make sure they see the sights!), home décor stores (red, white, & blue galore!), and party stores (gotta get those American flag plates!).  How lucky is Abilene that we can get all we need for our soccer game and our 4^th of July without once having to drive outside city limits? 

The Chamber will be closed Friday in observance of Independence Day.  Have a great holiday weekend, and go Team USA!  I also have to root for Germany and France…you can take the girl out of Europe but you can’t take the Europe out of the girl! As always, you can contact the Chamber at 785-263-1770 or chamber@abileneks.net!