Weather means fewer customers for businesses

How many customers braved the icy roads and sidewalks of downtown Cape Girardeau on Thursday? Not many, according to some local business owners and their employees.

With some Southeast Missouri schools choosing to cancel classes as early as Wednesday night, other schools, businesses and offices, including Cape Girardeau City Hall, opened for regular hours Thursday, but they would close their doors early after the steady downpour of sleet and freezing rain began to affect driving conditions.

After seeing the growing list of school closings, Clair Bruce, owner of vintage jewelry store Sloan and Themis Co., chose not to open her store. Bruce said the move probably didn't affect her business too much thanks to e-commerce.

"Even though we're not open downtown, I've still been working and selling," Bruce said. "I'm lucky to have a website, so I've been responding to customer emails all day."

One business that did take a hit from the winter storm was Cup 'N' Cork. Employees Carrie Wolek and Edward Haney witnessed a noticeable change in their typical daytime crowd.

"Our business was pretty much cut in half for breakfast and lunch today," Wolek said. "It's not uncommon for days like this to be slow, although some days it means we're nonstop with coffee orders."

Haney said even during poor driving conditions, the local cafe remained a viable option for many customers.

"Being in the downtown area, we're within walking distance for a lot of people," Haney said. "We're here and we're open. And as a local business, we always appreciate customers coming in."

A few blocks away, Port Cape restaurant also reported less patronage.

For Amy Hess, owner of Hotshots Sports Bar and Grill, bad weather is welcome. She said business typically picks up during such inclement bouts.

"We were busy for lunchtime and even in the hours after that," Hess said. "Usually we have a bit of a lull after lunchtime, but not today. We've had steady business since we opened at 11 this morning."

A storm system that hit much of the Midwest spent most of the day passing through Southeast Missouri, dumping sleet, freezing rain and, in some places, snow before turning into rain late in the day as temperatures rose slightly.

srinehart@semissourian.com

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