"It’s all going to vanish unless somebody helps out": Bronx shops, bars plead with Yankees for aid amid COVID

NEW YORK (AP) — The manager stands behind the counter at Ballpark Sports Shop on River Avenue, pinstriped jerseys fully stocked on the racks around him. The inventory is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, but on this day, he'll be lucky to sell a few $20 hats.

Around the corner on 161st Street, the owner of Yankee Tavern sits in his empty dining room. He's served as many as 2,000 people on game days in his 93-year-old establishment. On this night, he had 20 seated under a tent outside.

Meanwhile, the lights inside Yankee Stadium shined brightly. The ballpark usually brings nearly 50,000 fans per night to the Bronx. This summer, it's become little more than an oversize television studio.

“What’s going on is devastating,” Yankee Tavern owner Joe Bastone said.

Baseball in the Bronx is usually big business for shops and restaurants outside the storied stadium, but with fans stuck at home due to the coronavirus pandemic, those establishments aren't sure they'll survive. Desperate for aid, some are even begging for assistance from the Yankees themselves.

“It’s all going to vanish unless somebody helps out,” said Cary Goodman, executive director of the 161st Street Business Improvement District.... (Read more)

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