Economic Climate Dependent on Mother Nature's Climate

"It's very hard to make a living when you're dependent on weather."

            It's hard to tell today but the unseasonably mild winter took a toll on businesses in the tourist driven town of old forge. Visitors to the Adirondack hamlet were sparse this winter affecting business and some feel it's hard to bounce back during the summer months.

                Business owner Chip Kiefer says, "I don't think being in a resort community you ever really can make up one season with another. You can help supplement a season. I think most businesses that are in a resort community are in it for the long hall so you're going to have bad winters, you're going to have bad summers, bad springs, you just don't hope they don't all come together."

                Third year business owner Danielle Hoepfl says, "It's going to be a long lasting effect, we may eventually catch up, but I think it's going to be drawn out. It's not going to be fixed within a months' time it may take a year to fix it depending on weather and business."

                In a tourist driven town Mother Nature plays a key role in the economic climate and business owners here hope she delivers two things.

                Twenty-three year motel owner Steve Hoepfl says, "Hot, dry. Our clientele base for the most part you know is from the cities, from south of us. So, when it's hot and dry they want to get out of the heat they come up here."

            Owners agree, business has picked up this summer but with an economic climate dependent on Mother Nature's climate, things could change in a heartbeat.

            Steven Hoepfl added, "If we start getting liquid precipitation, you don't want to say that "R" word you know. If you get a week of that it can wash out a phenomenal month, instantly."