HOUSTON – Playoff fever has swept through Houston Astros fans.
But with the team playing so well, businesses near Minute Maid Park have had hot ledgers as well.
"Us being right across from Minute Maid has been incredible," Ricardo Venegas, general manager at the HTX Fan Tavern on Texas Avenue across the street from the ballpark, said. "It's been a great run."
The Tavern is in prime position to reap the benefits of a successful baseball season. With the 'Stros in the playoffs, the bar's managers said revenue has been on the rise.
"Doubled it," Venegas said. "I would even go as far as saying it's almost tripled it."
It's a similar story at the bar next door.
Managers at the Home Plate Bar & Grill say they've scored big during this playoff run. With the Astros making it to the ALCS, they're seeing customers they don't normally see.
"We probably see about a 60 percent increase in customers in sales," bar manager Nyla Colston said. "Food especially. People bringing their kids out a lot more often rather than during the season. A lot of people don't bring their kids as often."
The success of the team has nearby business owners and managers dreaming about a potential World Series.
