Chicago was buzzing one day after the Bears’ fourth-quarter rally – a wild comeback that had Soldier Field and beyond erupting with excitement.
People across the city and suburbs were overjoyed, including at a north suburban bakery where customers picked up some specialty treats in honor of the victory.
“We get people in… they want to talk about the Bears, commiserate with us and now they want to celebrate with us,” said Madeleine England, owner of Kneads & Wants Artisan Bakery and Café in Skokie.
On top of that, customers want to enjoy Bears-themed products, like “Da Bears Claw,” a honey and walnut pastry shaped like a bear claw.
While the sweet treat rose in popularity after the thrilling win, it’s the camaraderie England and her customers really love.
“I woke up to a bunch of texts,” said Emily White, a Bears fan. “My mom was like, ‘Did you watch the game last night?’ People are having one hell of a morning with this.”
Not everyone watched the game in real time; you can call it tradition or superstition.
“I took a peek and saw they were being beat and thought, ‘Oh God, I need to turn this off right now,’” said Robbie Parish, another Bears fan.
Parish said every time he watches the Bears and Packers face off, the Packers win.
“…so I felt like I was bringing bad omen to the Bears, and I didn’t want to be a part of that,” he said. “So I actually purposely cut off, was like nope, I’m not going to watch it. And from that point on the Bears came back and won.”
England said while it’s nice to have a big win, the Bears are “symbolic of who we are.”
“Even though we are pushed down, forces outside coming in pushing us down, we can rise up,” she said. “And that’s what the Bears did in their game, and that’s how we feel as a community.”
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