Local business owners and vendors expect to make big money this
weekend, but few had seen the promised inflow of cash by Friday
afternoon.
Hollister – Local business owners and vendors expect to make big money this weekend, but few had seen the promised inflow of cash by Friday afternoon.
A steady stream of customers poured into Johnny’s Bar & Grill all day Thursday and Friday, but the usual long entrance lines have yet to form in the front the bar, which is considered to be a holy place by many bikers.
Charisse Tyson, owner of Johnny’s, said sales had been steady all day long.
“We’re doing fantastic, this is going to be the best year I’ve ever seen,” Tyson said. “And this is just the beginning.”
Tyson believes that since the July 4 falls on a Monday this year, the bikers will be in town longer and likely spend more money. Tyson said that extra day will help with sales and ordered about four months worth of beer and liquor to make sure the bar was fully stocked for the weekend.
Carol Rivers, the owner of the Whiskey Creek Saloon, also reported good initial sales.
“So far it’s been about the same (as last year),” Rivers said. “But tomorrow will be very busy. The main thing is that these people are good people, they are always kind and considerate.”
Rotary President Will Sutton had no idea how much beer had been sold in the beer garden on Sixth Street, but believes sales are already slightly better than last year.
“When the entertainment gets here we expect sales to increase,” Sutton said.
Money raised in the beer garden is donated to local charities and Sutton hopes the Rotarians will be able to raise enough money to give 25 scholarships to local high school graduates. Sutton thinks the presence of the Miller-Lite girls will help boost sales this year.
Official Hollister Independence Rally T-shirts were selling well on Friday, Biker Design vendor Mary Rosario said. Biker Design has 22 locations throughout the event area, including the Country Rose Gallery and Frame store where Rosario works.
“We expect sales to pick up this weekend,” Rosario said. “But I think sales will be just as good as last year.”
For other local merchants, sales were not so spectacular. Many local boutiques have trouble attracting customers with so many competing vendors in town, virtually no parking and heavily crowded sidewalks.
Recently opened women’s apparel boutique, Aponis, reported slow sales on Friday, but owner Gloria Parra said she hopes business will pick up over the weekend. Parra said she did more business during the week than she has so far this weekend. Like many other shops on San Benito Street, Parra said she will also be selling water all weekend.
“We’re selling clothes, water, whatever we can,” Parra said.
Although his tattoo artist has already put ink into the skin of more than a dozen rally revelers, Metropolis tattoo and piercing parlor owner Joe Aguilar said sales were spotty.
“Right now sales are not that great, it’s been pretty slow,” Aguilar said. “But tomorrow things will pick up.”
Aguilar said it was hard to judge how sales will go this weekend because people were still arriving and just starting to look around and see what was available. But he remains confident that sales will increase over the weekend and has an another tattoo artist on hand to ink the huge crowds that were still on the way Friday.
The entrepreneurial spirit has been strong this weekend, local merchants who usually don’t sell merchandise appealing to bikers have found creative ways to make money during the rally weekend.
Raven’s Pet Shop sold water and other refreshments to hordes of bikers in town for the rally. The shop also gave bikers the opportunity to pose for pictures with a 15-foot python on display. And for those bikers not into snakes, a number of tortoises were also on hand to pose for memorable rally pictures.
Brett Rowland covers education for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected]
