BERKELEY, Calif. – In a once-thriving, high BAC fueled economy, Halloween was the pinnacle of profit among bartenders and club managers in San Francisco. However, recent revenue reports from across the city show a worrying trend in how college students choose to spend their money.
“Do you know how much Malibu I just bought?” reports bar manager Gary “Goodtime” Willson. “I was expecting students from across the Bay Area to be hounding our bouncers with the worst fake IDs we’ve ever seen… for the record, we definitely don’t let them in.”
Wilson’s experience is just one of many across a struggling nightlife industry. Nightlife–like real estate, retail, and bathwater Etsy stores–were hit hard by COVID-19. While data analysts have seen a slow return to form in regular weekend outings, Halloween remains an anomaly. This year’s annual “Boos and Booze” Halloween bar crawl has seen the lowest ticket sales since 1932.
“In 1932, we at least had Prohibition to account for why no one was out drinking,” explains economist Inita Drink. “Death, taxes, and college kids getting blasted on Halloween were the three reliable pillars of economic trends. We’re having to rethink all of our pre-existing models. Explanations for this change in spending habits correlate with a favoring for short term content. The dopamine hit of suggesting an SF bar crawl is equivalent to going to the bar crawl itself. ”
The night life industry isn’t prepared to call it a loss just yet. A recent marketing campaign reveals an attempt to make drinking a core part of other holidays. Tickets for “Black(out) Friday” go on sale at the beginning of the month.