Local businesses share struggles after graduation
In a town of just over 4,000 people, every customer that visits the downtown shops is vital. The merchants in downtown Waynesburg realize this, and as such, they’re preparing for a summer without college students to boost their business.
5 Kidz Kandy co-owner Pansy McConnell estimates that during the fall, winter and spring months, college students make up some 50 percent of the business her store receives. Jim Winegar, co-owner of Artbeat Gallery, also said a good portion of his sales during in-school months comes from college students.
The students of Waynesburg University have developed relationships with many of the businesses in downtown Waynesburg. Some organizations welcome students who complete service hours there, and some simply accept happily the purchases students make at their stores or businesses. Regardless of the nature of the relationship, most of the downtown organizations agree that summer, with the absence of students, brings a definite drop in customer traffic.
“Any kind of downturn or lack of activity is something that a business person doesn’t look forward to,” said Winegar.
During the school year, Winegar and the Artbeat Gallery partner with the university for a number of events and promotions. Classes from the art department visit the gallery on a fairly regular basis, according to Winegar, to view the art and talk to the owners about techniques and methods. Winegar also puts out a newsletter that always mentions artistic events happening at the university.
In the fall, the university students will create an exhibit at the gallery with art from Italy that they will share with local high school students.
Additionally, though they don’t always buy “big ticket items,” students contribute to the gallery in the form of purchases. So, when students are gone during summer months, the gallery must find a way to make up for any loss in sales.
“We’re planning a summer open house on June 19, and certainly the Rain Day activities are something that we try to do something interesting and special for that,” said Winegar. “It’s all sort of gearing up for accessing additional traffic interest by doing activities that will hopefully be of interest to the public.”
5 Kidz Kandy has also begun planning events for the summer in the hopes of increasing sales that drop when college students return to their homes.
“We’re trying to do some kind of promotion every month to bring people into our store,” said McConnell. “We have something for Mothers’ Day, Fathers’ Day and of course Rain Day.”
The sweet shop has been in Waynesburg for less than a year, but already McConnell can tell the difference college students make for the business by purchasing coffee, ice cream and candy.
Together with nearly 15 businesses, 5 Kidz Kandy has become part of the Downtown Waynesburg Merchants’ Guild, to which the Artbeat Gallery also belongs. Winegar said the group collaborates regularly to organize events for the community and keep awareness up for the various smaller businesses.
In the end, downtown Waynesburg businesses believe they’ll make it through the summer. They deal each year with the departure of college students, and while it often hits their business hard, with a little planning, they can make up the difference.
By Kimmi Baston
In a town of just over 4,000 people, every customer that visits the downtown shops is vital. The merchants in downtown Waynesburg realize this, and as such, they’re preparing for a summer without college students to boost their business.
The students of Waynesburg University have developed relationships with many of the businesses in downtown Waynesburg. Some organizations welcome students who complete service hours there, and some simply accept happily the purchases students make at their stores or businesses. Regardless of the nature of the relationship, most of the downtown organizations agree that summer, with the absence of students, brings a definite drop in customer traffic.
“We’re trying to do some kind of promotion every month to bring people into our store,” said McConnell. “We have something for Mothers’ Day, Fathers’ Day and of course Rain Day.”
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In the end, downtown Waynesburg businesses believe they’ll make it through the summer. They deal each year with the departure of college students, and while it often hits their business hard, with a little planning, they can make up the difference.