On a Tuesday morning, business is brisk at Castle Antiques in downtown Haliburton. It’s farmers market day, and customers have spilled in to get food and drink, and browse vintage heirlooms.
Owner Anna Lowes has just been cleaning windows and on Sept. 17, with temperatures in the mid-20s, comments, “you wouldn’t know that school was in right at the moment.”
It’s been a “good” summer season for the village staple, though Lowes concedes, “I’d say maybe a bit slower than, for example, last year, but definitely we had a really nice, steady, busy, summer.”
She added she had not heard a lot of customers comment on the recent Bank of Canada interest rate decreases, which some experts say have helped the economy to rebound – or mention the high cost of living.
“No one has outright said anything. I feel like we’re still constantly seeing all the familiar faces as well as new people. I’m sure it’s playing a role in people’s spending but I can’t say I’ve really noticed anything,” Lowes said
With autumn officially set to begin this Sunday, Sept. 22, businesses are reviewing the summer season and looking towards the fall.
Highlands Cinemas owner Keith Stata is preparing for another night of screenings as he stops to reflect on the 2024 summer season.
He said he was concerned this year that revenues would be down quite a bit because of a Hollywood actors’ strike that resulted in fewer movies being made. However, that has not been the case.
“I was pleasantly surprised, it appears we’re going to come up a bit over last year, rather than under.
“You only have to look at the fact that we just took out Despicable Me 4, which we started the last week of June, the first week of July. This is all fine and dandy when the tourists are moving through, taking vacations at different times, movies can have a long life. But when you are back down to the locals who have already seen it, it all starts to fall apart.”
Looking back at the books, 2003 for example, the cinema is making the same gross revenue as it always has. “That’s great except for the fact everything went up in price… so basically the business went down,” Stata said. He said over the past 20 years, the business had declined. Numbers are on par with pre-COVID.
“I think right now people don’t have disposable income either. But, at the end of the day, we’re above last year by the looks of it so I’m happy with that.”
Let’s Get Local owner Mary Douglas said her downtown Minden shop did not have a great summer season.
“Slow compared to last year,” she said the morning of Sept. 17. “Lots of foot traffic but people aren’t spending a lot of money.”
“Slow compared to last year,” she said the morning of Sept. 17. “Lots of foot traffic but people aren’t spending a lot of money.”
She attributes it to the cost of living. She is getting feedback such as, “it’s hard enough just to keep food on the table.”
She said they carry “the extras” and don’t buy bulk so can’t sell at lower prices.
“Everyone is looking for a deal these days. It’s been rough for sure.”
She lives on Water Street and said the Gull River was “jam packed” with families floating from Rotary Park to the downtown this summer as it is “a fun, cheap, outing
“I don’t want it to be totally negative.
My business is my business, it’s different. It’s convenience. It’s a difficult time for everybody unless our groceries go down… everyone is not shopping locally because they have no choice.”
