DNC fencing kept some Chicago businesses from making a profit
CHICAGO (CBS)—With thousands of delegates, politicians, and reporters in town, the convention would be a big money-maker for surrounding businesses. It was supposed to bring in $150 to $200 million, but some near McCormick Place felt left out in the cold.
Crews removed the fences near McCormick Place, which were put up to secure the area for delegates. The upside was safety. The downside was bad for business.
McCormick was the daytime hub for the thousands of delegates attending the Democratic National Convention. With so many people just down the street, Steve Syouri had high expectations.
"We were expecting new customers. We did have some new customers, but it wasn't enough. We weren't doing our regular business," Syouri said.
This is why: the 10-foot fence lined both sides of the street. Blocked traffic kept the regulars away.
"Our regular customers stopped coming in. Street traffic stopped. DoorDash stopped," Syouri said.
And the money stopped.
"I lost $7,000 or $8,000.
The fence will be taken down on Friday, but the damage to many small businesses has already been done.
"I'm pretty sure we lost thousands this week."
At Tom's Market, the loss in revenue hurt employees.
"Hours got cut. That was a big thing. People weren't needed. We had to tell people to stay home,"
The story was the same at every store CBS Chicago walked into. The manager of Chicken Shack declined to show his face, but he shared his frustrations.
"The parking lots were full, and people couldn't park-were you disappointed? Yeah.
"We have a lot of customers who were calling saying 'Where can we park,'" said
Martha Laqunilla runs the Currency Exchange. She didn't expect new customers. She just wanted to keep her loyal regulars.
"We couldn't cash their checks. Hopefully, they come back.
That's a hope they share that a block without fences means better business days are ahead.
The DNC Host Committee and the Chicago Convention Bureau said they will survey all businesses and present a report on the economic impact this fall.