Boston’s bars and liquor stores were left struggling to keep up with demand after thousands of Scottish football supporters descended on the city following Scotland’s World Cup victory over Haiti, according to a report by the New York Post. The influx of fans, known as the “Tartan Army”, reportedly transformed downtown Boston into a sea of Scottish colours over the weekend after Scotland secured a 1-0 win in its group-stage match at Gillette Stadium.
Among the businesses affected was the Sam Adams Boston Taproom, which ran out of its flagship Boston Lager amid the celebrations. Citing NBC News, the New York Post reported that Scottish supporters consumed roughly four times the amount of Boston Lager (local beer) that the venue would normally sell during a comparable four-day holiday period, forcing the brewery to arrange an emergency restocking.
Other establishments also reported an unprecedented surge in sales.
Noelle Somers, chief operating officer of Hennessy’s Bar, told the Boston Globe that the venue’s weekend business far exceeded even the city’s traditionally busy St Patrick’s Day celebrations.
“We’ve been here for over 30 years, and we’ve never seen anything like it,” Somers said, adding that sales were roughly three times higher than those typically recorded during St Patrick’s Day festivities.
At Federal Wine & Spirits in Boston’s Financial District, staff reported similar scenes. Store clerk Peter Zettel told the Globe that crowds of Scottish supporters packed the establishment throughout the weekend, recalling one instance where fans jokingly booed a customer who opted to buy water instead of alcohol.
Zettel also said one of the store’s refrigerators broke down after being opened repeatedly to keep up with the pace of sales.
Business owners told local media that several popular beer brands, including Corona, Budweiser, Coors, Miller, Guinness, Michelob Ultra and Scotland’s Tennent’s Lager, sold out during the celebrations.
With Scotland scheduled to face Morocco in Boston later this week, many bars and liquor stores are now racing to replenish supplies ahead of another expected influx of supporters.
– Ends
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