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Wrightsville Beach
Friday, March 29, 2024

WB business owners plan offseason strategies

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As temperatures drop, many coastal businesses will shift their focus from accommodating masses of tourists to generating revenue throughout the fall, winter and spring.

Marketing during the offseason will be exceptionally important this year as many businesses suffered economic losses during Hurricane Joaquin.

“We lost a lot of business. A lot of people checked out early or canceled because of the hurricane,” said Mary Baggett, owner of the Blockade Runner Beach Resort.

Baggett also mentioned the importance of communicating that Wrightsville Beach did not suffer substantial property damage from the storm.

“It’s important that we get the message out that we didn’t flood. We have to get more proactive with PR,” she said.

Nicholas Montoya, the Blockade Runner’s general manager, is hopeful  triathlons and other endurance races during the fall and winter will help businesses recover their losses.

“Those are rain-or-shine events,” he said.

Montoya stressed the importance of large-scale special events during months like October and April when beach conditions vary from warm and sunny to cold and stormy.

Sue Bulluck, chair of the Wrightsville Beach Chamber of Commerce and a hotel industry lobbyist, said planning business meetings in hotels during the winter months helps them break even. As an example, the Blockade Runner Beach Resort will host the North Carolina Democratic Party’s fall reception Nov. 4. The hotel also hosts the Surf to Sound paddleboard race Nov. 6-8.

“The restaurants on the island tend to do well, but the three hotels really have a hard time in January and February. They are lucky if they cover bare costs for operation and staff during those times,” she said.

Alderwoman Lisa Weeks suggested marketing toward families who have children in year-round schools whose three-week breaks coincide with the tourist offseason, which extends from Labor Day to Memorial Day.

“They’ll be looking for something to do during those times,” she said.

Entrepreneurs in the food service industry are also looking to expand their customer base.

“We’re looking to find locations who want our donuts for events — weddings, business meetings, open house, birthday parties and things like that,” said Colby Domnick, owner of Loops Homemade Donuts.

Domnick said his shop is open 7 a.m. until noon on weekdays, as opposed to being open at night during the summer. Loops is open 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on weekends.

Customers who want to purchase donuts after noon on weekdays during the offseason can buy them at Roberts Grocery, which is open until 9 p.m.

Jarrod Covington, owner of Wrightsville SUP, also hopes to expand his business to other locations by leading customers on trips to warmer countries, such as Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, during the winter.

Wrightsville SUP still offers kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals throughout the coldest months of the year.

“We’re always open by appointment,” said Jarrod Covington, owner of Wrightsville SUP.

Covington said his business offers kayak and paddleboard lessons and tours from sunrise until sunset, along with clinics for race training.

During the summer, Covington said he books one or two tours each day, but during the winter sometimes he’ll only book one per week.

“Most of my staff is seasonal, so they work here during the summer and go to school during the offseason,” he said. “There are some nice days in the offseason.”

Sweetwater Surf Shop has also altered its hours. During the offseason, the shop is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Spencer Lem, Sweetwater’s manager, said the winter staff is two-thirds the size of the summer staff due to the reduced store hours. However, the store’s inventory stays full with wetsuits and winter clothing for men, women and children.

King Neptune Restaurant is closed on Monday and on Sunday after 4 p.m. during the offseason.

Redix Store moves to winter hours as Daylight Savings Time ends on November 2, opening from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, staying open one extra hour on Friday and Saturday nights, and closing at 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Causeway Market will maintain its regular hours.

Tower 7 has already adopted winter hours of Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., staying open 30 extra minutes on Friday and Saturday nights. Next door Café del Mar will open 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.

Aussie Island Surf Shop will maintain its regular hours, open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and open 1-6 p.m. Sundays.

Switching to winter hours in early October, South End Surf  Shop opens 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Upstairs the Post Café will keep the same hours, opening daily at 6 a.m., closing Monday through Friday at 9 p.m., Saturday at 10 p.m. and Sunday at 8 p.m.

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