Kelseyville >> For the last two weeks, rain has been hammering Lake County in an impressive show of force. Though no one has needed to build an ark quite yet, roads have closed due to flooding, rocks and debris have washed into traffic and the lake is past full, more than ready for summer water sports.
Although the rain is undeniably good for a drought-stricken California, one has to wonder how the business side of things is fairing. And in Kelseyville, a few of the establishments have experienced slowdowns amid the downpours.
“I would say when it is raining, it will cut our revenues …. at least in half on a daily basis,” said Mark Borghesani, general manager at Kelseyville Lumber.
The home improvement store saw such a significant impact during these last two storms because when wet weather rolls in, construction comes to a screeching halt. Workers have to wait for everything to dry out before they can get started again. Home gardeners must delay planting.
Kelseyville Lumber receives some customers looking for things like sandbags or supplies to repair heavy rain damage, but it’s not nearly enough to make up the ground. But they’ve been through this cycle many times before. When the sun comes out, business surges.
Construction-related business isn’t the only thing that fell in the recent storms. When the rain keeps people off the street and away from window displays, retail stores can suffer. Kelsey’s Kloset, for instance, took a significant hit in the recent deluge. “It’s been rough,” said owner Summer Rogers. “It definitely impacted my income in the last couple weeks.”
Having been in business for a year, the lack of customers wasn’t entirely unexpected. The clothing store saw the same thing last winter. But this January has been stormier and wetter than 2016. Unfortunately, there wasn’t not a whole lot Rogers could do to prepare. Right now she’s just waiting for these damp months to end.
Borghesani agreed. Kelseyville Lumber does prepare, encouraging people to go on vacation during the winter, but mostly it’s just about sitting tight until the weather lets up. “In a business like ours that’s seasonal, we know how to adjust. You kind of roll a little bit through the slow times and you kind of absorb it,” he said. “There’s not much you can do about it. If it’s gonna rain, it’s gonna rain.”
It’s not all bad news though. At Kelsey Creek Brewing, bad weather is almost a positive thing. People take shelter at the establishment, waiting out the rain with a pint of beer and some peanuts. Many who can’t do their jobs — like construction workers — end up at the brewery.
Kelsey Creek Brewing didn’t get off completely scot-free, however. The brewery’s co-owner, Caroline Chavez, closed an hour early the past two Mondays due to a lack of patrons, and she had some trouble getting to Kelseyville from her home in Cobb. But overall their books have been solid.
Chavez did notice a significant decrease in activity in Kelseyville. “It was slow downtown,” she acknowledged. “It was quiet.”
Oak, another clothing store in Kelseyville, saw a bit of a lag in traffic, but owner Caitlin Andrus wasn’t too concerned. She even used the weather to her advantage. Assuming more people would be huddled inside on their phones or computers, Andrus kept an active social media presence and hosted a couple of sales at the store.
With candles lit and the heater on, Oak was an ideal place for some respite from the rain. “I would say it’s been a little slower but people are also coming in because they want to get out of the house,” Andrus said. “They have cabin fever.”
Ultimately, Kelseyville businesses seem accustomed to less foot traffic and fewer customers during the winter. And in few short months, as the flowers come so will the visitors.
Jennifer Gruenke can be reached at 900-2019.
