ASHWAUBENON, Wis. — It was steady business Monday morning at Card & Coin, just a few blocks down from Lambeau Field.

About twelve hours earlier, the Packers beat the Vikings to secure home field advantage through the NFC playoffs.

It’s just what owner Mike Worachek wanted to see.

“It was pretty steady right from the open. People are coming in, looking around and buying some stuff,” he said shortly after noon. “They’re still hanging around a little bit. It’s been good.”

Having fans back this season — unlike 2020 when most games were played in an empty or near-empty stadium — is having a direct impact on his business.

“Probably almost double in sales from last year. When you don’t have the fans, there’s just nobody coming to town,” he said. “If we can get a couple of home games, that should help a lot.”

Card & Coin, and other businesses, will also get at least one more home game.

Each of those games carries an estimated economic impact of about $15 million, said Brad Toll, president of Discover Green Bay.

“It does trickle down through our economy,” Toll said. ”Certainly the people employed in the tourism industry, to be busy again and working on these weekends, it’s absolutely fantastic.”

The ripple of playoff games — from spending on lodging and gas to retail sales — tends to be felt a little further out from Green Bay, he said.

"Certainly the whole Fox River valley, all of Northeastern Wisconsin, typically feels a home game,” he said. “(Hotel) occupancy goes up and average rates go up.”

Worachek said he’ll see interest and business build in the weeks and days leading up to the home playoff game.

It’s a pretty good way to start the new year, Worachek added.

“I’m feeling really good,” Worachek said. “It’s helping overall that the Packers are playing well, and we’ll hopefully get the fans back two more times.”