Rains dampen Valley businesses

MAT-SU — If into each life some rain must fall, Mat-Su residents must be nearing their quota, at least for 2010.

After a record-setting 32 straight days of at least some precipitation, the Valley’s seeing blue skies.

That’s great news for some area businesses for which sunshine means customers.

“When you’re in the golf business, the rain makes a big difference,” said Skip Pelletier, owner of Fishhook Golf Course in Palmer. “We’re all seeing the effect.”

Pelletier said this year’s rain is the worse he has seen in his 35 years here.

“It sure looked like moose season or fair weather yesterday,” he said Wednesday. He was looking forward to the promise of blue skies at week’s end.

After weathering what should have been a bad economic year last year, the weather and a sluggish economy are the one-two punch to send his business down about 20 percent, he said.

“The biggest effect I have is the weather,” Pelletier said.

It’s a different double whammy at The Reindeer Farm in the Butte. Not only are rains keeping away some of the tourists, it’s made it almost impossible for the farm to put up some 640 acres of hay.

“It’s affected us mildly, but not terribly,” owner Tom Williams said of the tourist trade.

His daughter, Denise Hardy, said they’ve seen more locals this year — people dressed for the weather. For those who aren’t, the farm’s got a supply of mud boots.

Hardy was ready for an influx of customers to roll in when the clouds rolled out.

“On a sunny day, we get really busy,” she said.

The threat of sunshine had the phones ringing at Talkeetna Air Taxi, too, said manager Sandra Loomis. Everyone wants a chance to see Mt. McKinley.

“We try to accommodate everyone the best we can,” Loomis said.

When the ceiling is low but safe for flying, Loomis said they try to lower the expectations of their customers. While there are still amazing sights and gorgeous vistas even when the Great One is shrouded in clouds, some visitors cancel.

Loomis said those visitors who accept Mother Nature’s limitations may not come back with the tears of joy the staff is used to seeing on sunny days, but they aren’t disappointed.

“They come back with smiles on their faces,” she said.

A burst of sunshine also inspires those who enjoy personal watercraft sporting, according to Thomas Hannam, owner of Alaska Toy Rental.

“The phone rings off the hook for them,” Hannam said.

His four-wheeler riders aren’t so picky.

“We’ve got some real troopers this year,” Hannam said. Rain or shine, they are out enjoying the trails. He said rentals have been consistent all summer.

“I’m sure glad to see the sunshine,” Hannam added. “It puts smiles on people’s faces.”

At NOVA, where the business includes river rafting and glacier tours, the season’s been pretty average, according to Malia Spaulding.

“If it’s sunny, the phone does ring more,” she said.

Since raft rides often mean getting wet anyway, many have opted to ignore the moisture from above, she said.

But some sun doesn’t hurt. “Today it’s sunny and the phone is ringing,” Spaulding reported Thursday morning.

While some local businesses can chart their sales by the sun index, others do just fine when the clouds roll in.

At AT&T Sports Center between Palmer and Wasilla, general manager D.J. DesJardin can’t complain about the weather. He said they don’t do rain dances there, but they are happy to reap the benefits of weather they cannot control.

“We’d be lying if we said it wasn’t helpful to us,” DesJardin said. “Business has been fantastic.”

When rain and gloom curtailed outdoor activities, the AT&T Sports Center gyms were full with kids shooting hoops, playing volleyball and participating in the center’s summer camp.

“It obviously drives people to an indoor facility to work out,” he said.

It’s a boon at Rascal’s in Wasilla, too. The indoor play area for children with its jumping pillow and giant slide gave parents a place to take their kids to release pent-up energy.

LeAnna Davis, an attendant at Rascal’s, said while often in the summer the facility might close early for lack of customers, it’s been staying open until 6 most evenings.

No complaints from Midnight Sun Tanning owner Mike Lagg, either. The Palmer business has had a better-than-average year, thanks to the lack of sunshine that would have normally driven sun-seekers out of the tanning booths and onto their decks.

“We didn’t see a lot of down turn,” Lagg said.

And with fall in the air, Lagg said business should just get better.

“Business for us will pick up,” he said.

As for how much sunshine there will be in the waning days of summer, there’s no predicting.

“We all have our fingers crossed — and everything else,” said Loomis.