SUSSEX COUNTY, Del.- The consensus along the coast is that free parking means more traffic and more income for businesses.
According to the Bethany-Fenwick Chamber of Commerce, Meterless Tuesdays in August and a Meterless September in the primetime hours caused more people to visit businesses. Some of those businesses said they saw about a 30 percent increase of people in their shops and restaurants during the meterless hours. Others like Jackie Burns from Bethany Beach Books are not sure how much the free parking helped, but she is optimistic.
"I don't know if there is going to be any type of an increase because we kind of have been able to stay steady from September after Labor Day," Burns said. "We definitely have an increase from last year. Meters are definitely going to help, but I also think we have people that are coming from the cities that are doing homeschooling and they have just chosen to home school down here, which is obviously a great thing to do after you just go to the beach for a few hours.
Businesses along the coast say any increase in customers, free meters or not is sorely needed. The Rehoboth-Dewey Chamber of Commerce estimates in just seven months this year, the area lost two hundred million dollars in revenue compared to the same time span in 2019.
The meters will not be turned off until Sunday in Rehoboth Beach. The chamber of commerce is expecting that businesses will do well with locals and people from surrounding towns visiting during off-season. Owner of Kaisy's Delights Tierry G. Langer feels the same way.
"It is our historical knowledge that the moment the meters stop, we have all of the locals that flood in," Langer said. "Actually, business is increasing the moment we stop the meters. So, it is actually a good thing.
The fall is the last chance to rebound from a nearly non-existent spring season. Owners hoping but still confident that people will continue to support their businesses going forward.
