DOOR COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — People usually have about two weeks to pick cherries at Meleddy Farm.
But this summer? “Six days,” said owner Tom Selvick.
While plenty of business owners are looking to make up last year’s losses, Selvick is making up for COVID-19-related unexpected expenses.
“Well we had to do more things,” he began. “All kinds of wash stations, I had six wash stations.”
“Door County is on fire this year,” said Mark Schuester with a smile. He co-owns Bayshore Outfitters.
The outdoor sports store was fortunate enough to expand last year.
Still, Schuster came into 2021 not knowing what to expect.
“It was a Godsend that amount of traffic coming through but it’s continuing,” he said.
Meanwhile Amy Crook, owner of Kitty O’Reilley’s Pub, is looking to bounce back from last year’s closures. She’s facing food and liquor shortages.
“I don’t know who’s drinking all of it but we can’t even get tequila!” she tells FOX 11.
And it’s not the only deficit now that some seasonal help is headed back to school.
“We’re really left with our family staff, some of our kitchen staff,” said Crook.
She adds she is grateful for the employees that help keep her business running, but could use more hands on deck.
The good news though, even with the shortages, Crook says there’s been a jump in business.
“The big difference between this year and every other year… It’s non-stop every day,” she said.
Following the money, small business owners say it’s hard to compare financial performance between 2020 and 2021.
But the hope is to bounce back with a busier tourism season.
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