OKC businesses see historic crowds for Thunder parade
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Some Oklahoma City businesses say they're recovering after Tuesday's Champions parade for the Oklahoma City Thunder after seeing historic turnouts.
The two-mile route started at NW 10th Street and N. Harvey Avenue and headed south on Harvey, west on NW 5th Street, south on N. Walker Avenue, east on Oklahoma City Boulevard, south on S. Robinson Avenue, and ended at Scissortail Park.
Cross streets and other surrounding streets were closed, but some businesses decided to welcome the large crowds instead of closing their doors. News 4 spoke with Hobby's Hoagies owner, Kim Nixon, on Thursday, still coming off of Tuesday's celebration.
"We got here around eight o'clock, opened the doors, and it was a madhouse," said Nixon. "We've been in business for 34 years, and that was the biggest day we ever had."
City leaders estimate that at least half a million people attended the parade, but the exact numbers and economic impact are still being determined.
Nixon said, on Tuesday, she and her staff were basically limping at the end of the day due to how packed they were. She didn't go into specifics on numbers, but said she plans to reward her employees for their hard work.
"We got a little bonuses coming in for them," said Nixon. "So they don't know about yet, but I guess they will find out now, though."
It's a similar story of success for Nazo, a Japanese restaurant in Midtown, near NW 10th Street and N. Harvey Avenue, if you ask the staff there. News 4 visited the business on Monday before the parade and were told it had only been open for less than a month.
"We were pretty packed that day," said Eason Liu, an employee at Nazo. "You know, that is great."
Liu said typically the restaurant opens after noon, but he and the staff came in around 10 a.m. Tuesday morning to welcome in customers and bring water to the crowds facing the heat.
Both businesses say they hope to have a chance to do it all over again next year.
"We will have another championship parade next year," said Nixon. "We are going to be throwing the sandwiches out to the guys this time."