Who Is Making Green Off of the Celtics Playoff Run?

After recent years of futility, the most storied franchise in the NBA, the Boston Celtics, is a playoff force again. And not just on the court. The acquisition of megastar Kevin Garnett, along with possessing the league’s best record, has catapulted the green team to the top of the merchandise list for the first time since the NBA began compiling the data in 2001.

Today, it’s difficult to walk down a street in Boston without seeing someone in green. Celtic merchandise has witnessed a triple-digit sales increase this year. According to Jose Calderon, assistant manager of Modell’s Sporting Goods in Medford, Mass., anything Celtic-related is "flying off the shelves."

The bar scene around TD BankNorth Boston Garden appears to be cashing in on the C’s slam-dunk season, as well. DJ’s at The Garden, a local bar located blocks away from the parquet basketball court, opened its doors in February in order to capitalize on the Celtics’ skyrocketing popularity.

"The owners made it a priority to open DJ’s before the end of the season," says restaurant manager John Brewer. "We set a pretty high [sales] number for a new bar, but we’ve met it every week." (Brewer was reluctant to share the number, but noted that DJ’s was “slammed to capacity every game night.”)

Meanwhile Brittany Peats, a waitress at nearby Lucca’s in the North End, said her managers require a full staff at least an hour-and-a-half before tip-offs. Peats also noted that the payoff for the wait-staff increases significantly during game nights. "Most nights, I take home about $100," said Peats. But when the Celtics have a playoff game, that number can double, she says.