In Middletown, Ohio, on Presidents Day, a line of eager fans wound its way around the Skateway’s parking lot, causing traffic to back up on the main street outside. Amidst the hustle and bustle, a pizza truck maneuvered its way into the already crowded lot to deliver some piping hot pies. Among the predominantly young crowd, Taylor Swift-themed bracelets adorned wrists, and the infectious chorus of “Shake It Off” filled the air.
The scene bore all the hallmarks of an Eras Tour stop, yet the star herself was conspicuously absent.
However, the absence of the singer did little to dampen the spirits of the enthusiastic attendees, nor did it deter the rink owners from reveling in the event’s success. With over 300 skaters and accompanying parents flocking to the small rink, it operated at close to full capacity throughout the two-and-a-half-hour “Swiftie Skate.”
Such was the event’s popularity that the rink owners are already planning a repeat performance soon.
“We know Taylor Swift is popular; her music is the most requested at the rink,” remarked Ginny Kidd, spokesperson for Skateway. Kidd highlighted the skate session’s embellishments, including Swift-themed friendship bracelets, t-shirts, specialty drinks, and the crowning of the top Swifty fan.
“It was one of our most successful events,” Kidd affirmed.
Ryan Herzog, an economics professor at Gonzaga University, pointed out that while quantifying the economic impact may be challenging, it’s only logical for small businesses like Skateway to capitalize on the Taylor Swift phenomenon.
“Nothing is preventing a rink from playing Taylor Swift music and getting a line out the door. Those numbers won’t show up in economic data but will show up in the bottom line of small businesses,” Herzog noted.
Herzog, along with Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman, has developed a set of economic principles intertwined with Taylor Swift’s success.
“She is in and of herself an economic event. She is a global economic phenomenon, even at the micro level,” Herzog commented on the singer, recognizing women driving innovation in the business world and global economy.
The range of Taylor Swift-themed events that don’t involve the presence of the singer herself is broad, spanning from library gatherings to bar crawls, cruises, painting parties, dance soirées, and beyond.
At Lumi by Akira Back, an upscale Japanese cuisine establishment nestled in San Diego’s chic Gaslamp Quarter, restaurant management opted to host a Taylor Swift Brunch during the same August weekend when the singer was slated to perform in Los Angeles.
“Within a few hours, we had sold out the day,” remarked Katie Bosworth, director of marketing for RMD Group, the entity behind Lumi.
The specially crafted menu paid homage to the star with $13 mimosas, a nod to her favorite number, cocktails creatively named after Swift’s beloved cats, and a bracelet exchange accompanied by a soundtrack of the singer’s remixed hits. Buoyed by the success, the restaurant promptly scheduled another Swift-themed brunch for the following weekend and is gearing up for a listening party coinciding with the release of Swift’s new album in April.
