Christmas has come early for many businesses in downtown San Jose.
Many say they're seeing a huge boom in sales this month, and the hope is the trend continues into the new year.
Christmas in the Park has undoubtedly had something to do with the boom in downtown traffic, which has been somewhat dormant over the last couple of years.
55 South partner Eric Nielsen said the return of crowds and the money they bring is just what downtown needed.
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"The foot traffic is great," he said. "Christmas in the Park is a major driver downtown and it really helps out."
Christmas in the Park is a 44-year tradition downtown, and although the attractions haven’t changed much in the last few years, people continue crowding into the area to see it.
This year, it seems many of those visitors are also stopping by the local shops and restaurants along the way.
Local
November sales were bad for Nielsen's neighbors, and October was even worse. But in December, he said local merchants are seeing sales jump by roughly 20%. At his bar, it spiked 70 to 80%.
"The line gets a little bit nuts, and I feel bad on Friday nights and Saturday nights when there's certain people that have been waiting for a really long time, but I think once they get inside, they have a really good time," he said.
Downtown Councilman Omar Torres said he hears from merchants that the streets are cleaner and safer now, making it more inviting for visitors.
"We all work together – San Jose State, San Jose Downtown Association, the mayor, myself, and of course our Office of Economic Development," he said. "We are boots on the ground just making sure that we have a vibrant downtown San Jose."
