Banner Season for Some, Not All Merchants

With fall on the horizon and cooler temperatures in the air, many merchants are breathing a sigh of relief. Oh, what a season, they say, whether theirs was a good or a bad one.

As of Sept. 13, revenue generated by the Suffolk County hotel-motel tax was estimated at $1.6 million for 2005, slightly below the $1.7 million raised last year. Anecdotally, many business owners reported that the volume of traffic was in direct proportion to how sunny the skies were this season - the sunnier the better, in most cases.

Montauk

For Kathi Cogen, the owner of Haven Home Furnishings in Montauk, a foray into ready-to-wear clothing and accessories paid off. Ms. Cogen went to India last winter on a buying trip and added a selection of handbags and exotic jewelry along with an array of colorful saris, embroidered and beaded kurtas (a loose collarless shirt that is very popular in India), fanciful skirts, and sandals.

"Business has been good, better than last year," said Ms. Cogen on Monday afternoon. "There has been much more traffic, but customers were spending less on average. There weren't as many big purchases." Still, vintage furniture pieces such as end tables and dressers were reportedly moving well. "I sell a lot of kitschy things and great gift items - anything shell-related was a big seller this year."

The Air and Speed Surf Shop moved to a new location on Main Street in July and saw a 40-percent increase in business over last year. "It's been a very good summer," said the manager, Phil Jones, on Sunday from underneath a brown corduroy hunting cap. "The weather cooperated toward the end of the season and we've seen a huge increase in foot traffic."

"Excellent. Up significantly. Best year ever," said Bruce Bernacchia, who owns two restaurants, East by Northeast and the Harvest, along with the Stone Lion Inn. "It was a beautiful summer," he said. "Business was up 20 percent at E.N.E. and 15 percent at the Harvest, while the Stone Lion Inn was up a little bit."

Napeague

"I couldn't have asked for a better summer," said Dick Ehrlich, owner of the Clam Bar on Napeague and the Seafood Barge in Southold.

"If not for the price of gas, it's almost inconceivable how good it could have been. I had the best Fourth of July ever, it was my biggest day and biggest week. The crew was strong and served swiftly."

Midweek business was very strong, though he reported that "day trippers" were a little short. "The North Fork was worse hit by the rise in gas prices, and post-Katrina a lot of B&B's took a large hit on cancellations," he said. "I think it just shows the strength economically of the South Fork - the financial stability of the area."

Amagansett

"Basically, August is its own season, especially the last two weeks," said Mary Schoenlein, the owner of Mary's Marvelous in Amagansett. "This was our fourth summer and the busiest ever. Each year gets better and better."

The food shop expanded its prepared food offerings this summer, but scaled back on pastries - although even so it offered 10 to 12 kinds of muffins, four to six kinds of scones, and two kinds of coffee cakes, all prepared on the premises.

"This season I hired three new full-time counter people, but could have easily added a fourth. The key to surviving was the staff," she said. "We did really well together and I'm very proud of the people that work here."

"The season was super great," said Jolie Parcher, the owner of Mandala Yoga and Dance Studio, on Tuesday. "We've been here for five years now and the base business is really established."

Ms. Parcher hosted a series of Indian-style outdoor bazaars that were held on the grounds of Amagansett Square. "The bazaars introduced the studio and the clothing shop to many new customers," she said. "I doubled my inventory and sold nearly everything and even had to place reorders."

East Hampton

"You'd be surprised what people will buy late at night," said Scott Goldi, a manager of Second Nature in East Hampton. The store extends its in-season hours until 10 p.m. during the week and 11 p.m. on weekends.

Mr. Goldi said the movie theater help contributed to increased traffic. "We'd see a rush every hour," he said. "At closing sometimes, it was difficult to get people to leave."

While other East Hampton retailers also remarked on seeing bursts in foot traffic before and after the movies, according to Mark Stueve, the theater's manager, attendance was down this season.

"Over all, in the movie industry business is down. This summer, we've had a lot more flops," he said mentioning "Stealth" and "Great Raid" as examples. "Yet, of all the Regal Entertainment Cinemas on the East End, this location was by far the busiest." He credits sold-out shows to a lack of entertainment options. "UpIsland there are more attractions," he said.

For Betty Rannazzo, an owner of Shoe Inn on Main Street, business was a little slow, though she said it picked up in July and August. "It's been much busier during the day, and evenings weren't as crazy as they have been in previous seasons," she said.

Of the eight Shoe-Inns scattered around New York, Connecticut, Florida, and New Jersey, Ms. Rannazzo said a healthy percentage of business is conducted at the East Hampton store, where the variety and breadth of selection is deeper.

At Henry Lehr, business was good but not great, said Melissa DeWaters, the store's manager. "We were comparing books. Every holiday weekend this season versus last was sunny. It's definitely bad for business, though the good weather did contribute to more traffic."

A preseason renovation of the store created space for more displays and a better flow for shoppers, she said. "We try to get the big [end-of-season] sale over before Labor Day in order to capitalize on back-to-school and back-to-the-city shopping. Even in August's blistering heat, we sold a ton of cords and cashmere."

"It was a very strong summer," said Mark Smith, an owner of Villa Italian Specialties, Rowdy Hall, and Nick and Toni's in East Hampton and La Fondita in Amagansett. "Over all, business was up 5 to 10 percent. It's too early to tell how fall will pan out, but if the weather holds, it should be good."

Bridgehampton

"We sold more ice cream this season," said Gus Laggis of the Candy Kitchen. "The weather was very hot, but the food business was about the same; the averages from year to year haven't changed that much."

Coloring, snipping, blow-outs, nails, makeup, and related services kept stylists bustling over the summer at the Scott J. Aveda Salon. "We were extremely busy," said the manager, Steve LaBoy, on Tuesday.

The salon, which also caters to a number of high-profile clients, did its best to accommodate walk-ins, even though most days were solidly booked, he said. "Numbers-wise we did better than last year. And most everyone left with a smile on their face."

Sag Harbor

"It was a good season, much busier than last year," said Robert Durkin, owner of New Paradise on Main Street and Robert's in Water Mill. "New Paradise, which is in its third year, is like an old market player now."

Mr. Durkin said nearly 90 percent of the patrons at either location were familiar faces to him as well as staff members. "It's a nice thing to be able to say."

Like most business owners, he said Mother Nature plays a hand in his business. "Weather at the start of the season came on less than fabulous and last winter's difficult weather pattern limited trips for second-home owners. But this summer has been upbeat - dinner business started early and ended late."

At Back to Bali, a co-owner, Stacey Campsey, said, "Business has been unbelievable. It's been very busy." The store, like several on Main Street, is open until midnight during the season.

"It's not new for us," she said. "We've been doing it since we opened 27 years ago. Sag Harbor is pretty much the only place on the East End where you can walk around until midnight and find stores open. People like that."

According to Ms. Campsey, late-night business generates 50 percent of total revenues. "Retailers who say business isn't good are the ones that are closing early," she said.