Spokane’s Downtown Gets Ready for Hoopfest Crowd

The city of Spokane is gearing up for a massive influx of visitors this weekend as the popular Hoopfest basketball tournament draws about 200,000 people to downtown. Some local businesses are rolling out the red carpet, while others plan to shut their doors.

Busy Saturday for Many Shops

• Flatstick Pub
  Action: Swapping its usual game area for extra tables to seat the surge of guests.
  Insight: The pub’s finance manager said Saturday tops their yearly traffic by a large margin.

• Atticus Coffee & Gifts
  Action: Staying open Friday and Saturday, expecting lines that run from the front to the back.
  Quote: “All‑hands‑on‑deck.” The manager noted that the weekend feels like a full sprint to accommodate everyone.

Businesses Turning Down the Crowd

• Petunia and Loomis (Antique Shop)
  Decision: Closing for the weekend.
  Reason: No increase in foot traffic during last year’s event; crowds did not translate into sales.

Experiential Attractions

• Lush Cosmetics
  Offer: Free bath‑bomb making demo.
  Goal: Provide a hands‑on way for visitors to learn how products are made, enticing those just wandering around.

• Small Biz Shoppe (River Park Square)
  Plan: Distribute free water and plastic ducks as a small gift.
  Expectation: The event will bring more people and create a lively atmosphere for everyone, despite last year’s dip in customers due to chaos outside and limited parking.

Overall Outlook

Downtown Spokane businesses are preparing in varied ways—some expanding, some closing, others offering unique experiences—to welcome the massive crowd that Hoopfest brings each year.