With the Croatian national men’s soccer team setting up its World Cup home base in Alexandria, Virginia, a group of business owners is setting up a special sales event to mark the occasion.
Starting Sunday, the Old Town Boutique Community is hosting a special “Shop the Checkers” event. Participating stores with Croatian flags displayed on their planters will offer special sales, discounts or events related to the European country until June 28.
Guests can also receive a special-themed “Goal Getter” soccer tote bag for free with their purchase, while supplies last.
Megan Podolsky, the owner of Mint Condition and 529 Kids Consign, told WTOP that participating stores are staffed up to handle the influx of visitors from around the world coming to the city.
“This is not going to be like a normal summer where everyone leaves Alexandria and goes abroad. They’re all coming to us,” she said. “We’re just ready to welcome everybody, and we’re very excited for this opportunity.”
The Old Town Boutique Community features over 30 independently owned shops located on and around King Street, offering a variety of specialties from apparel and home goods to food and wine.
For Podolsky, having a community that comes together in times of support or celebration, like the World Cup, helps small business owners overcome the hurdles to run their locations the right way.
“It is all small businesses, it’s all independently owned, and so we do come together for tough times, so whether it’s COVID or the tariffs, we band together,” she said. “And that’s when this marketing collective becomes even more important to support each other.
For Lisa Katic, the owner of Wine Gallery 108, the World Cup is coming at the right time. She told WTOP that the tariffs on her imported wines and economic uncertainty have caused her some issues running her wine shop, calling it a “juggling act.”
“We’re experiencing definitely some issues in the economy, in terms of prices raising, gas prices being an issue for people, so we’re really looking forward to this,” Katic said. “This is going to be a really big, we think, influx to the city, and hopefully to the business during this time.”
Wine Gallery 108, which offers wine, gourmet foods and art, is a curated shop where Katic tastes everything before it goes on sale. To prepare for the “Shop the Checkers,” Katic — who is half-Croatian — began learning about Croatian wines. She contacted her vendors and extended the invitation to small Croatian wine producers.
Wine Gallery 108 will host three special Croatian wine tastings on June 16, 23, and 26, featuring 10-12 wines from various regions of the country.
“For us, and as a city, for me as a business, and us as a city, to have this opportunity is huge,” she said, adding that her shop will be filled with Croatian T-shirts, flags and decorations.
As for Podolsky, both of her businesses, which focus on high-end consignment for women and children, will have a sale on all red, white and blue merchandise. She welcomes any member of the Croatian delegation to stop by with their friends and family to see her store and others around Old Town Alexandria.
What would she do if a Croatian player stopped by during his stay?
“It would be an honor to have these guys in our stores,” Podolsky said. “Hopefully, their wives love some designer clothes, and they’ll want to come shop.”
An entire list of participating stories, a downloadable map and sales can be found on the Old Town Boutique Community’s website.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
