EL CAJON, Calif. (KGTV) — It’s been a wild week of weather across the region — and some communities felt the impact more than others.
In El Cajon, steady rain and gloomy skies kept many people off the streets Thursday afternoon — especially along Main Street, where businesses typically rely on heavy foot traffic.
Pools of water lined the sidewalks as rain blanketed the area, leaving normally busy storefronts noticeably quiet.
At Downtown Cafe Bar & Grill, bartender Kayla Davis says the weather made it tough to draw customers inside.
“You know, it’s muggy and ugly outside, and I don’t think anybody really wants to come outside,” Davis said.
For workers like her, fewer customers directly affect their income.
“We rely on tips a lot, so it makes it hard when not a lot of people come in,” she said.
Davis has worked at the restaurant for about four years and says the business feels more like a family than a job.
“My aunt works here — it’s like a lot of family. We all treat each other like family,” she said.
On slow days like these, the staff has had to get creative to fill seats, offering rainy-day deals and extended happy hours in hopes of bringing people in.
“Now, since we’ve had a lack of people, we’ve done happy hour when it’s raining — and happy hour all day,” Davis said.
She added that business during storms can be unpredictable.
“It’s really hit or miss. Our regulars will still try to come in, but not a lot of people want to be out in the rain. You can’t really fault them for that — but it does worry us about being able to make ends meet.”
Some businesses in the area even chose to close because of how slow things became, including Downtown Cafe.
Just a couple of doors down, however, Salon Lounge saw a very different story.
The owner says the salon is usually fully booked, and despite the heavy rain and chilly weather, clients continued to show up for their appointments.
Hair stylist Vivean Hanna says in her experience, stormy weather can actually bring in more customers.
“To be honest with you, sometimes it gets busier,” Hanna said. “More people want to be indoors than at the beach. We’re always busy anyway.”
With the worst of the storm now behind them, business owners along Main Street say they’re hoping the return of sunshine will help bring customers — and foot traffic — back through their doors.
