Severe winter weather puts financial strain on central Wisconsin businesses

It’s normal for schools to close during extreme Wisconsin weather, but this winter, local businesses have had to make that call, too.

Between what seems like endless snow storms and a string of extremely cold days, some business owners have made the decision to close early or to keep their doors shut for an entire day or two.

It has affected restaurants, bars, local shops and even grocery stores in central Wisconsin as they look to keep employees, patrons and shoppers safe. And that decision is hitting their pocket books, for some by thousands of dollars a day.

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Amy Scheide made the call to close her Wisconsin Rapids restaurant, Great Expectations on a very cold Jan. 28 and a snowy Feb. 12. 

“The key is safety,” Scheide said. “Sometimes it’s even literal expectations to getting our team in. Is this safe for our team, healthy for our team? Is it a good idea for our customers to even be coming in? Those things are paramount. ... Financially, it's about 'can we afford to bring a staff in if only 10 (customers) are going to walk through the door?'”

Business owners worry about losing revenue each time they close their doors during normal hours. Scott Berg, the owner of Scotty’s Pizza & Chicken in Marshfield, said his business could lose anywhere from $1,000 to $1,500 each day it's closed. But that doesn’t stop him from considering the safety of his delivery drivers, employees and customers.

Berg said he usually makes the call to close during a bad snowstorm or extreme cold weather. He closed for the entire day on Jan. 30 and closed early Jan. 29 and Feb. 12. The restaurant also didn’t deliver on Feb. 12 because of the snowy streets.

Cara Adams is the founder of Agora Local Makers Market, a store that sells locally-made products in Stevens Point. As the sole employee of her business, the decision to open depends on whether or not she can make it into the store.

“If I can’t get down here, I close. (Closing Jan. 30) was more about temperatures that day than anything," she said. "That’s a potentially lost sale if I’m closed.” 

The Stevens Point Police Department took to Facebook Jan. 29 to ask followers to avoid any unnecessary travel on Jan. 30. Adams posted on the Agora Facebook page that she intended to take the department's advice.

Many times, bad weather means slower business in general.

Siblings Stephen and Katrina Hittner grew up watching their dad run Family Natural Foods in Wisconsin Rapids before they took over the family business. They said their dad, Michael, used to walk to work every day and that motivated them to get to the store in recent weather conditions. Stephen lives nearby and has used snow shoes and cross-country skis to make it into work this winter.

They said bad weather makes for a slower day with fewer customers, but they use the time to catch up on projects, accept deliveries or work on paperwork for the health food store. Closing can frustrate people, so they try to avoid it.

While the owners do what they can to make it to the store every day, they don’t have the same expectations of their staff. If employees can’t make it in, they just run the store with a light team.

Not even liquor stores in Wisconsin escaped the wrath of this winter. Zach Coleman closed Richard’s Liquors Jan. 30 because of the weather. Coleman said it’s not an easy decision to make knowing how it could affect the business.

“You get a little bit of a stock up the day before (a closing) if you announce early, but you hope people come back and shop the next day,” Coleman said.

Coleman kept the Wisconsin Rapids business open on Feb. 12, when many other local stores decided to close, and he said he was pleasantly surprised at how many people did come into the store.

“It’s a tough call to make,” Coleman said. “We stew over it, making sure my employees are safe whether they’re driving two blocks or 20 minutes. And we’re considering the safety of our customers.”

Walking conditions and temperatures also play a vital role for businesses that rely on foot traffic.

Kevin Eichelberger owns Red Eye Brewing Company and Patina Coffeehouse in Wausau. Both downtown businesses are on Washington Street and depend on foot traffic, Eichelberger said. If they decide to close one of the restaurants, they will close both, he said.

Red Eye closed early Jan. 28, and Patina closed early Jan. 29. They both were closed all day on Jan. 30 and 31 and closed early Feb. 12.

Eichelberger said when weather forecasts call for extreme cold or 5 or more inches of snow, he'll make the call to close. His employees also let him know if the weather is affecting the lunch hour at Red Eye, which could lead to an early closure.

Eichelberger also considers the parents on staff when schools are canceled in the area and whether business on a snowy or cold day would be worth parents finding and paying for an extra day of child care, he said. Would tips from customers make up for those costs?

Local business owners said this winter already is shaping up to be worse than usual. Berg said he usually closes for a big snow storm about once a year; this year he's been closed one full day and parts of two other days, and it's only February. 

“Remember to shop locally and dine locally in these bad weather days,” Scheide said. “This weather is a hardship for many industries, but we’re very often here and open. We’re going to keep making great food, even if it’s cold and snowy.”