SCRANTON — The Marketplace at Steamtown’s back-door pedestrian bridge to Steamtown National Historic Site next door sent thousands of visitors from the Big Boy Reunion through the mall Monday and Tuesday.

As expected, the second day of the reunion of two of the largest steam locomotives on Tuesday brought a smaller crowd than Monday’s massive opener, but it was still a big boost for the mall at 300 Lackawanna Ave.

That’s because the train park on both days used as an exit the walkway bridge that slopes up and over the railyard and connects to the second floor of the Marketplace at Steamtown’s former food court area.

“We’re embracing it and we’re celebrating America’s 250th birthday,” Marketplace at Steamtown General Manager Anthony Cali said. “We love the fact this is the epicenter of everything that’s going on.”

The mall had a “Big Boy Pop-Up” market Monday and Tuesday in the food court area and will resume it Saturday and Sunday.

Cristin Powers of Cristin Powers Media started the monthly pop-ups in August as a consultant to the mall, “but because of the Big Boy, it’s Monday, Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday,” she said of adding two days.

Zuppa Del Giorno of 517 Ash St. participated in the pop-up and had brisk business, said employee Harlie Jones.

“It’s good. Lots of people are coming out and supporting the businesses,” Jones said.

Kyle Mervau, one of three partners who own Electric City Roasting Co., said his business participated in pop-ups previously at the mall and the current one has been one of the busiest because of the Big Boy Reunion. A steady flow of people generally pass through, but at times they come in waves as visitors leave the railyard.

“Yesterday we were slammed,” Mervau said of Monday’s huge Big Boy crowd.

The Marketplace at Steamtown opened in 1993 as The Mall at Steamtown.

Steamtown National Historic Site was established in 1986 to preserve, interpret and protect the history of steam railroading in America, including the historic railroad yard, collections, technical knowledge and skills that further the public understanding of the impact of steam railroading on U.S. industry, commerce and society.

Steamtown NHS encompasses 62 acres on the site of the original Delaware, Lackawanna & Western rail yard. People from throughout the nation and beyond come to Steamtown NHS, particularly train and rail enthusiasts.

The Big Boy event in two days now has brought the largest crowds to the historic train site, far surpassing the 30,000 visitors over a celebratory weekend in 1995.

Some other nearby businesses also saw a Big Boy spinoff.

Felicia Lee, manager of Black & Brass Coffee Roasting Co. at 101 Penn Ave. had double the usual number of customers Monday coming from the reunion.

“People came in, they hung out awhile, they came in with their kids,” Lee said.

Downtown Deli at 300 Biden St. also had double the number of usual customers because of the reunion, said manager Denise Leppo said.

“It was a great Monday for us,” she said, comparable to one of the deli’s busy Sundays.

But Leppo also thought the event missed an opportunity to more fully integrate downtown businesses. Complaints she heard from visitors included there were no signs or maps and people generally didn’t know where to go before or after their visit inside the train site.

“We got lucky, because we got business (from the reunion). I’m not sure if everybody got business,” Leppo said.

Jenn Saunders, owner of Northern Light Espresso Bar and Cafe, 536 Biden St., also said there could have been more coordination and communication with local businesses about the reunion. Still, many Big Boy visitors found her shop at 536 Biden St. and her business on Monday was more like a Saturday, which is her shop’s busiest day of the week.

“We had a line to the door from 8 (a.m.) to at least 4 (p.m.). We met people from Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut,” Saunders said. The national historic site had links or references to ‘what else to do’ in the area and to Scranton Tomorrow’s website, which has links to local businesses. “They were finding us.”

Local hotels, including the historic Radisson at Lackawanna Station hotel, which was the 1908 Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad station, and the Hilton Scranton and Conference Center did bang-up business from the Big Boy Reunion.

When the Big Boy Reunion was announced The Hilton Scranton and Conference Center sold its 193 rooms for four consecutive nights, said director of sales and marketing Kristen Blight-Finkel.

“From the day that the announcement went out, and we came in the next day and we were sold out instantly overnight – (for) Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday,” Blight-Finkel said. “It’s been great exposure for Scranton. It’s not a place that people always think they want to come, but when they do get here, they love it.”

Marguerite and Frank Phillips of Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, brought their grandson, Everett Phillips, 7, to the reunion Tuesday and will attend again on Wednesday. They stayed at the Radisson.

“We made it a train experience,” Marguerite said. The couple said Everett is a railfan who has been keeping close tabs on Big Boy 4014.

“He’s been following it on YouTube since it left California,” Marguerite said. “Every night before bed we check to see where it’s at. They have a tracker online.”