Inaugural Hollister Airshow should help businesses around
town
An array of businesses and organizations expect to get their
engines fired up this weekend when the inaugural Hollister Airshow
comes to the local airport.
Organizers of the first air show at the Hollister Airport expect
visitors from all over the region with hopes of not only boosting
exposure to the area, but also giving the local businesses and
organizations a chance for a jolt in foot traffic and revenues.
Inaugural Hollister Airshow should help businesses around town
An array of businesses and organizations expect to get their engines fired up this weekend when the inaugural Hollister Airshow comes to the local airport.
Organizers of the first air show at the Hollister Airport expect visitors from all over the region with hopes of not only boosting exposure to the area, but also giving the local businesses and organizations a chance for a jolt in foot traffic and revenues.
“We’re expecting to draw people from all over the Bay Area, Central Valley and Monterey Bay Area,” said Mike Chambless, airport director and organizer of the event Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “And that’s a lot of traffic into the area, a lot of exposure to the county.”
In total, there will be 41 vendors stationed at the airport, with a mix of locals and outsiders taking part with such offerings as food and beverages, T-shirts, aviation merchandise, and helicopter and military flags, among many others. Nonprofit groups also should gain some added attention, with organizations such as the Baler Band Boosters and the Hollister Lion’s Club setting up booths at the event.
Other businesses and organizations are getting more directly involved, with Victoria’s Deli providing spaghetti for a dinner Saturday and the Elk’s Lodge handling the barbecuing of tri-tip, according to organizers.
But the variety of surrounding businesses, related and unrelated to aviation, could see perhaps the most significant benefit from the attraction. One sign of the anticipated jump in business is that the Bestwestern Hotel on San Felipe Road near the airport has indications of enhanced occupancy. Manager Sanjy Shah noted how customers are most interested as of mid-week in staying on Saturday night only. That day, the hotel is at about 80 percent occupancy, he said.
Business owners such as Ernie Persich at Vintage Wings and Wheels at the airport are excited about the potential for the weekend. Persich, who does maintenance and repair for historical aircraft, also gets to look forward to participating in the air show activities. He and two others, Hugh Bickle and Andreas Hotea, are scheduled to perform a flyover in three Stearmen airplanes.
He explained this week how his business has customers as far away as Ohio, but that in general, the airport can use a lot more exposure to outsiders.
“I’ve heard some people who didn’t know we had an airport at all,” said Persich, pointing out one of the historic planes in the garage, a 1926 Ryan.
Quite knowledgeable of the airport’s history as well, he noted how it has functioned since the 1940s and has had a presence for aircraft since about 1918. He and other enthusiasts also are preparing the airport’s museum collection for the incoming visitors.
He pointed to panels on the wall discussing the airport’s history and the oldest aircraft there, a lime-green Travel Air 4000, which he said was around at the time when the Spirit of St. Louis flight finished in 1927. There are a handful of historic planes and replicas in the museum, along with memorabilia.
“There’s a lot of history,” he said.
