Except Birch Tree is also a popular pizza spot and was running beer and pizza deals before games this past season, so they actually are in the conversation.

Bay State has the advantage of a dedicated parking lot, so they're a natural fit to see a bump during game days. But they aren't, because the people who go to the games aren't going out before or after. They're driving in, going to the game, and leaving after.

Meanwhile, it appears as though people who aren't going to the games are also staying away during games, likely due to the perceived lack of parking. This is something the city can and absolutely has to improve. And too much of the public simply does want to park right in front, and that absolutely needs to change as well.

This idea that the Canal District is or was this shitty area that needed saving by the ballpark is fucking psychotic - did you not see how many different small businesses opened in the area before Covid hit? The whole Crompton building, the Public Market, the ice rink, a few dispensaries, gyms, and all those bars and restaurants? It's been one of the few places in the city that has enough dense, walkable commerce to function like an actual city. Again, I'm not even placing much blame for these closings on the ballpark, but the idea that each of these businesses have somehow fumbled the bag is just nonsense.