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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 29, 1988)
he Battalion Monday, August 29, 1988 Community Section E A&M provides CS with economic lifeline Student spending provides ity with over $110 million — .S'* * ; 1 ■'$ 'It S mmsiMiSplm 11 [ Photo by Jay Janner Workers begin construction of a Taco Cabana restaurant on Texas Avenue. Texas A&M pumps millions of dollars into the Bryan- College Station economy, including money for restaurants and retail establishments. By Jackie Feldman Reporter When Texas A&M students leave College Station for Christmas and the summer, the city experiences a drastic change in the flow of money. The latest study done by A&M’s Office of Public Information found that A&M contributed $365.7 mil lion to the local economy in 1986. Students spent $110.6 million with the majority going for rent, utilities, food and clothing. When students leave College Station, they take their money with them. Store owners and managers know this. During school vacations, they see a substantial drop in business and profits. Students make up 70 percent of the business at DoubleDave’s Pizza- works on South Jersey Street, store manager Tom Jondahl said. “More students than families eat pizza regularly,” he said. “When the students leave for the summer, we lose about 40 percent of our busi ness.” Jondahl said the reason business does not drop by 70 percent is be cause the family business increases. “Families like to eat here more in the summer because they don’t have to fight the traffic,” he said, “but also because during the summer the store is quieter and less crowded.” Jondahl said the amount of free time during the summer is the big gest change from the school year. “During the school year, it doesn’t seem like we have enough time to prepare the food,” Jondahl said. “During the summer, we have too much time to sit around because there are less people and less to do.” Larry Medearis, manager of the College Station Kroger, also realizes students contribute to his business. Kroger’s business and profits in crease 20 percent during the school year, Medearis said, because of stu dent business. Profits are higher than the average supermarket be cause the overall sales increase. Medearis said, “During the sum mer our business slows down consid erably. In the summer the flow of customers is steadier and easier to manage.” Northgate experiences a notice able lull in business during the sum mer. Don Ganter, owner of the Dixie Chicken in Northgate said a differ ent type of crowd gathers there dur ing the summer. “Blue-coller workers, such as con struction workers, come to the Chicken when the students leave for the summer,” Ganter said. Despite this summer crowd, the Chicken is only half-full on Fridays and Saturdays, the Chicken’s busiest days during the school year. Ganter said he prepares for the drop in business by building up a “nest egg” during the school year. Medearis said he makes adjust ments to the business drop by hiring less people and giving his employees less hours. Medearis said, “During the sum mer, expenses go up. We employ a lot less people and use a lot less hours. We try to become better oper ators during the summer as far as wages and expenses go.” Businesses such as restaurants, li quor stores, record stores and apart ments are also hit hard during the summer. Ray Knotek, manager of Benni- gan’s, said his business loses $5,000 to $10,000 a week in liquor sales when the students go home for the summer. Dave Dean, manager of Dave’s Li quor store, said his store loses over 50 percent of its keg sales and 30 percent of its hard liquor sales. Pack aged beer sales do increase, how ever, because of the summer heat. JiH Love, manager of Hasting’s Books and Records on South Texas Avenue, said her store loses 20 per cent of its business and has little need to reorder merchandise. Apartment complexes rent only one-half to three-quarters of their units. These units are rented at lower rates, while their maintenance and utilities costs stay the same. Businesses survive the summer’s loss of income by setting aside some of the profits made during the school year, when students and visi- See Money, page 1 IE 52595 J115« $389 $695 $749 00 ERASE YOUR HUNGER WITH DOMINO’S PIZZA DOMINO’S A 260-9020 4407 S. Texas Ave. DELIVERS 693-2335 1504 Holleman You’re back hitting the books again. So let us remind you that there’s no better food for thought than pizza from Domino’s Pizza. We’ll rub out your munchies with hot, delicious, quality pizza delivered in less than 30 minutes after you’ve ordered. Nobody can do better than that! So use the special dis count coupon below and get back into the swing of school with a pizza from Domino’s Pizza. Our drivers carry less than $20.00. Limited delivery area. ©1987 Domino's Pizza, Inc. IT’S GUARANTEED! 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