For many students at Ohio University, Spring Quarter brings desires to avoid responsibility, spend more time outside than in, celebrate the season at numerous fests and embrace spring fever.
Being at school during the entirety of May and part of June while most other schools are already on summer vacation has instilled in students the wish to make the year’s last quarter at OU their best.
Local businesses have been able to capitalize on the spring fever that permeates the campus, but with the impending switch to semesters, the local business landscape may change.
“May is a huge month for us — it has been the last three years,” said Shelly Rex, co-owner of the Strouds Run Boat House and Campground. “Students have spring fever; they are out there every day that is above 70 degrees and sunny.”
Rex, who has run the boathouse along with her husband Mike for the past three years, said that in May students consistently form lines, waiting to rent out one of the boats. Ice cream sales are also high in May.
With the loss of the business students bring in the spring, Rex and her husband are working on ways to avoid a huge loss.
“It’s going to force us to be more creative,” she said. “Unfortunately, we’re a weather-related business, so we can … plan some big sandcastle-building contest in late April, but if the weather does not cooperate, no one will show up.”
The couple is considering ways to reach out to community members to make up for the lack of students in May. Local elementary school students, though, will still be in school until June, Rex said.
Although OU students will be returning to Athens earlier in the fall — the 2012-13 Fall Semester starts on Aug. 27 — Rex does not foresee that improving business.
“Some people say, ‘Well, they’ll be here in the fall earlier,’ ” Rex said. “Well, in the fall there’s too much newness and excitement — you’re starting classes, you have a new roommate, a new apartment, whatever. You’re not coming out to rent a boat.”
Rex and her husband aren’t the only local businesspeople who say the disappearance of students during spring will affect their companies.
"That’s around fest time,” said Ginny Flowers, the manager and buyer at The Other Place. “People would come in and get outfits for the fests and we’re definitely going to lose that.”
Flowers said it would take some time to get used to it.
“I also think we might be gaining business at other times, like around the holidays,” she said. “And as summers go on and on in Athens, more people stay.”
The shorter winter break means students will be in Athens more during the winter.
Jessica Kopelwitz, co-owner of Fluff Bakery and Catering, said having students around in the winter will likely help out business, but the total effect of the changes is unknown.
“It will change the business; winter break will be shorter so it will help out that time,” she said. “It will be interesting in the spring though.”
Kopelwitz said people are more likely to be out and about checking out new businesses in spring. Without OU students walking around Uptown, she said, the company might have to find other ways to attract business.
bm257008@ohiou.edu
