OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Late last week, under the deep blue of a cloudless sky, tourists clogged the sidewalks and heat-baked sand of Old Orchard Beach, spilling out of pubs and restaurants in celebration of fine summer weather. Downtown was awash in the sounds of arcade music, laughter, and the mechanical whoosh of amusement park rides, turning to jelly the legs of their smiling cargo. From the parks to the beach to the iconic Pier, everything was business as usual.
Sort of. It depends on who you ask.
“The reviews right now are mixed,” said Bud Harmon, president and CEO of the Old Orchard Beach Chamber of Commerce.
A motel owner himself, and a member of the innkeeper’s board, Harmon has his finger on the pulse of the popular tourist town’s economic health. And while a business’ performance this season is largely dependent on the specific industry in which it operates, the general consensus is that the town is rebounding after a sluggish start, marred by unseasonably cool temperatures and Seattle-like rain.
“Last year, we had a terrible June, weather-wise, but the summer was great overall,” said Harmon. “So you never know.”
Like Harmon, Sharri MacDonald ”“ president of OOB365, a volunteer-based citizen and business group ”“ expects that a strong August will redeem the season, especially with an influx of Canadian tourists reaching the height of their annual beach pilgrimages. August has been the town’s strongest month for the past six or seven years, she said.
“It hasn’t been the easiest time this year, especially with the weather,” said MacDonald. “I think tourism is down a little. They have their good days, but it’s all (dependent) on the weather.
“August looks like it’s going to be pretty busy.”
Peter Gerges certainly hopes so.
Gerges is the manager of 925 Silver Shop, a small store on the town’s main strip, which specializes in jewelry, accessories and other fashion items. So far, he hasn’t been impressed by what he’s seen.
“It’s terrible, man, it’s the worst season we’ve ever had,” said Gerges, standing at a counter gleaming with necklaces and rings. “It depends on what kind of business you’re doing, I guess. If you’re in food ”¦ well, people don’t stop eating.”
While Gerges acknowledges weather may have played a part, he also pins blame on that other touchy variable: The economy.
“People have no money, and the prices are sky-high,” he said. “It’s more expensive than Vegas. The economy sucks.”
Up the street, the outlook was a bit stronger.
Inside Dickinson’s Candy, parents watched bemusedly as children and teenagers, wide-eyed, pinballed from one display to the next, taking in a kaleidoscope of confectionery colors.
Sharon Prosser, Dickinson’s bookkeeper, said that no matter the economic conditions, people seem to budget for candy ”“ although comparing this year’s performance to 2012 is a tricky proposition, with August barely under way.
“It’s hard to tell at this point,” said Prosser. “I think it’s easier to tell toward the end of the season. Hopefully August is nice.”
The weather’s early ickiness, she said, didn’t seem to have too profound an impact on peoples’ appetite for the sweeter things.
“I think it affected how many people were at the beach,” said Prosser, “but it didn’t seem to affect how much people shop. People just love candy.”
Closer to the water, Nick Palmerino, manager at Beach Paradise, a beach apparel outfit, felt business was lagging ”“ but not dismal. Foot traffic inside the store increased when children were let out of school, he said, but it was the Canadian demographic that kept the store from experiencing a poor summer. Palmerino said that, during stretches, Canadians can account for nearly 90 percent of the store’s business.
“The weather really had nothing to do with it,” he said.
One part of the beach that may have benefited from the late turnaround in temperatures is The Pier, which on clear days can be seen crawling with beach-goers, chattering away in both English and French.
Paul Golzbein, The Pier’s owner, said record numbers in July helped businesses rebound from a poor showing early in the season.
“April, May, June ”“ they were not the kind of months we want to have,” said Golzbein. “But July was excellent. It brought things back up to par. When you get this type of weather, it’s fantastic.”
Golzbein also pointed to nightlife on The Pier ”“ which tends not to be so weather-dependent ”“ as a reason why business has remained solid.
“They’re comin’ out at night,” he said.
Universally, businesses hope for a strong August ”“ and expect it. In the meantime, business groups such as the Chamber of Commerce plan to keep promoting in Canada and throughout New England to ensure that turnout remains strong.
“We’ve all weathered good times and bad times,” said Harmon. “You have to continue staying positive. I think people will be pleased at the end of the season.”
— Staff Writer Jeff Lagasse can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 319 or jlagasse@journaltribune.com.
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