Once upon a time, San Diegans spent thousands of dollars on their beloved Chargers. From game tickets to special jerseys to memorabilia, locals spent millions supporting their NFL franchise. When the team up and left for Los Angeles (well, Carson), there was concern that San Diego’s economy would suffer from the lost spending and revenues.

That concern has officially dissipated -- at least for most.

In 2016, University of San Diego economics professor Alan Gin noted that the NFL team’s financial impact only made up “half of a tenth of a percent” to the local economy. However, as the San Diego Metro notes, a drawback that Gin predicted has come to pass. While the impact to the economy has been “just a tiny fraction,” he noted at the time that “businesses attached to the Chargers have probably suffered some harm.”

Gin isn’t wrong. Jared Bremseth, the manager of Sports Fever in Mission Valley, said that a third of his store’s inventory was dedicated to Chargers memorabilia. “A shirt [that] has the San Diego Chargers on it is kind of dead merchandise now, but a shirt with just the lightning bolt is still good,” he told NBC San Diego. “It’s going to hurt. We haven’t crunched all the numbers and gotten to the brass tacks of it all to figure out how much it’s going to hurt, but there will be a dip.”

Mihir Patel, owner of sportswear store Touchdown in Chula Vista, is also feeling the loss. Chargers merchandise marked at 50 percent off or as low as $5 is still a hard sell to patrons. Last February, after seeing sales decline to as much as 30 percent and unable to pay rent, Patel had to close his second location in Otay Ranch Town Center. “A major part of the revenue is gone,” he said. “People are angry at the [Spanos] family, and people are taking it out on us.”

It isn’t just apparel owners who are hurting.

Catering companies, meat sellers, bars, and restaurants are all feeling the loss. Tailgating, the traditional activity before and after Chargers games, is gone and it took all those beer and food sales with it. Chula Vista’s Santa Fe Meats saw a sales drop of 20 percent. Catering business BBQ 81 owner Brandon Jessi told SD Metro, “it’s a good 25 grand per season that I lost. Small businesses depend on that kind of stuff.” 

Courtesy of Arroyo Photos / BoltBlitz

Mission Valley’s Tilted Kilt closed its doors last September, stating the Chargers’ absence as a factor. Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing, also in Mission Valley, has seen sales drop by as much as 13 percent. Manager Connie Jones told SD Metro, “it’s 100 percent the Chargers not being here. I think overall the NFL has taken a hit. As far as our location, it brought people into the area. You would come here before and after the game.”

The Eastlake Oggi’s location has seen losses as well. Employee Victoria Martinez told SD Metro, “this is considered a Chargers bar, so it was filled every time the Chargers played. Now it’s a lot more quiet. We don’t have as many Chargers fans anymore. Maybe a couple [of] tables, but nothing like it used to be.”

If these businesses don’t find a way to adapt, they just may die. Bars and restaurants who used to rely on the Chargers are now inviting fans of other teams to call their place home. Retailers are shifting their focus, either to other teams or to new markets. Eazy Toyz and Chula Vista Brewery, two businesses affected by the loss, have teamed up a new beer called “Eazy Street Pale Ale.” 

If the Chargers won’t be around to help them, perhaps these businesses will just have to help one another.