CADILLAC — For businesses like Brian Parks’ Bowright Whiskey in Lake City, the winter tourist season has been all but nonexistent.
Now, he and other business owners are hoping Memorial Day weekend will kick off a busy summer tourist season.
“Hopefully I can save up enough cash to get through next winter,” he said.
Last winter was Parks’ first winter since starting his business in spring 2023. He said he had been warned that work might not be as busy in the winter.
He quickly realized this and said his business was seeing very few ice anglers and snowmobilers.
“Literally, I don’t think we could have stayed open if it wasn’t for the locals coming,” he said.
Conditions weren’t much better at Pilgrim’s Village Resort in Cadillac, where resort co-owner Chris Kneisel said a lack of snow meant he couldn’t ride his snowmobiles.
Ice fishing was also dangerous because there was very little ice on the lake, he said.
“I think this has been the worst winter I can remember,” he said.
Natalie Davis, owner of Lakeview Motel and Gift Shop, said Memorial Day weekend could be a chance to recoup some of the winter losses: The motel is nearly full, but has some availability for last-minute travelers.
Davis added that the holiday weekend could set the tone for the summer and be an indicator of how much people plan to travel.
“We’re fortunate to have such a loyal guest base, and when you look at our summer bookings, we’re nearly fully booked most weekends, even weekdays,” she said. “This is a huge opportunity for us.”
Business is starting to pick up again at Evergreen Resort, with resort general manager David Vinh saying there are already several spring activities keeping them busy.
Vinh expects the holiday weekend to be moderately busy with golfers and people visiting relatives, and he said business will peak as June and July rolls around.
While other businesses aren’t sure what to expect for Memorial Day weekend and the summer season, Kneisel said his business is already nearly full with repeat customers and he’s hopeful it will be a good weekend.
“It’s been a really weird winter but we’re now experiencing seasonal weather so everything should return to normal,” he said.
Memorial Day weekend is crucial for a new business like Parks, who said this will be the first holiday they’ll be open on a Sunday after getting their new permit.
He said he hopes to catch customers and make more sales before they leave for Memorial Day, and that his whiskey business is also expanding its appetizer options to make itself more appealing to visitors.
The Lakeview Motel and Gift Shop will have a larger selection of locally made gifts and other items, and Davis said he hopes the gift shop will attract more tourists and residents.
“We’re grateful for the families who love this town and have been coming to Lake City for generations,” she said. “They love our lake and are a treasured asset to this community.”
There are few concerns among businesses about the number of tourists visiting or their willingness to support local businesses.
Davis said she’s always amazed and grateful for people who shop at her gift shop, and she’s not worried that Memorial Day weekend will be any different.
“People always seem to be willing to spend a little extra money during the holidays,” she said.
Memorial Day weekend isn’t a life-or-death moment for businesses.
Aside from some small tweaks, Parks said he hasn’t had to do anything special to make up for the slow winter. He said his business is just working on building brand awareness as it heads into its second summer of sales.
“We’re here,” he said. “We’re open for business and we couldn’t ask for more.”
Kneisel said he was fortunate to have a busy winter tourist season in the area that made up for the loss of past winter tourism. For him, it was just a missed opportunity and he’s now focused on summer.
“For me, Memorial Day is more of a shift in gear to a different vibe,” he said. “It’ll be like this until Labor Day, and then it’ll change again.”
