BETHANY BEACH, Del. - As the summer crowds dissipate, Business owners and employees on Bethany Beach's boardwalk are preparing for the fall and winter. At Water Lilli, a clothing store, the summer started off slow. Employees say things intensified quickly before the the end of summer slowed things back down. Â
"We got really hammered, and we were hammered for a good eight weeks, and then it was like the light switch went off," said Debbie Rhodes an employee at the store.
Some businesses in Bethany Beach do not stay open after the summer season ends. Debbi Babcock's son manages Topsail Steamer, a seafood restaurant. Babcock says the restaurant will close in the coming weeks, before opening back up next year. She says that she has seen the economy affect business.
"I just think people are worried about what's going on and watching their finances," said Babcock
Despite the summer coming to an end, some shops are still looking forward to the season to come. Tide Pool Toys is a toy store on the boardwalk that is now preparing for the holiday season as the summer comes to a close.
