As World Cup arrives, local businesses ready for traffic boost

Could the World Cup fill the cups of local businesses?

As Dallas and the metroplex at large welcomes the FIFA World Cup, small businesses and entrepreneurs close to Fair Park stand to benefit significantly from the global foot traffic.

While many international visitors are in town for sports, they’re also looking to explore, try new foods, and even find somewhere to cool off from the Texas heat. Discovering local businesses would be on these visitors' paths at some point, which would just add to the locals and regulars business owners are used to seeing.

Even though the actual matches are being played in Arlington at AT&T Stadium, which is temporarily renamed Dallas Stadium, Dallasites can still get in on the thrill of the game and more with the FIFA Fan Festival held at Fair Park in South Dallas. 

A little more than a mile away, over in Deep Ellum, Imani Black is optimistic about the games and already saw increased activity near her new photo studio and gallery— Imani Black Studios— which opened in May. She’s currently open by appointments, open studio days, workshops, and events.

“It's only been a couple weeks and so many people have stopped by,” Black says. “Deep Ellum just comes alive on the weekends. I feel that sales will go up because people are tourists looking to eat, spend money, have experiences and do things– you don't come to another country for no reason, you come to explore and have a good time, especially if you're here for a soccer tournament.”

A lot of people are flocking to Deep Ellum because it is one of the closer neighborhoods to Fair Park and the nearby Fan Festival.

“I've been seeing so much traffic over the past couple weeks,” Black says. “People have been looking inside, coming inside, wanting to see what's going on in the space. With FIFA in town I feel that my business and surrounding businesses will be greatly impacted by all the traffic and people coming in wanting to explore what Dallas has to offer because Dallas is a cultural hub.”

Cee Gilmore, the owner of the restaurant and lounge CeeZoo’s in the Cedars District of South Dallas, planned and prepared for the games with 11 TVs and scheduled watch parties for soccer fans.

“From my perspective, CeeZoo's is located just 2 miles from Fair Park, placing us in a prime position to benefit from the increased tourism and visitor traffic,” Gilmore says. “Events like the World Cup create opportunities for local entrepreneurs, food vendors, entertainers, transportation services, retail businesses, and hospitality providers.”

“For businesses like ours, the World Cup is a chance to showcase South Dallas to a global audience, create jobs, increase revenue, and build long-term relationships with new customers who may return long after the tournament ends,” he says.

A South Dallas cafe, Ruthie’s Cafe right off of MLK. Jr. Blvd., opened a year ago after operating as a grilled cheese food truck at events across Dallas with a mission that pushes giving back to the community. 

They collaborate with other nonprofits related to a women's shelter, individuals and youth affected by the justice system, and even education, such as the St. Philip’s School behind them.

Ashlee Kleinert, owner of Ruthie’s Cafe, says it took a while for the community and others to realize they’re open and a new place in the community, but now they’re getting regulars and looking forward to visitors in town for the World Cup.

“I think the eyes of the world are literally on us with the Fan Festival just a mile from Ruthie’s,” Kleinert says. “It’s really fun when you think about all the different people from all over that are traveling here and we’re hoping that some will venture here to have a refreshment, for some air conditioning or to come see our team.” 

“There’s a couple places that have opened here on MLK, like Sweet and Chill and the Baked Potato Bar, and we’re hoping more people will venture this way,” Kleinert says. “With Ruthie’s being a second-chance employer, it’s exciting for our crew to serve people visiting from far away places and the attention Ruthie’s may get from the world or the community on a different level.”

However, these business owners also anticipate challenges due to the cultural differences of visitors.

“Some of the challenges that I'm anticipating are the typical challenges that come with having an international crowd. Language barrier and cultural differences,” Black says. “However, I attended a workshop through the City of Dallas and Downtown Dallas Inc. where we discussed how to approach those cultural differences, language barriers, and overall hospitality for international people coming into the city.”

“We haven’t seen anything yet, but it’s just been a couple days,” Kleinert says. “We’re hoping that people will discover us and come this direction when they’re taking different routes to the Fan Festival. We’re ready for it!”