Okay, it's not as bad as I thought (rural Texas BBQ places)....

[Michael_in_TX]

I'm in rural central Texas this week and I've been driving through some really small towns (like population 305 and such). As I've been driving through these towns, I see the requisite BBQ place or two. However....they're all closed. All of them.

This was so depressing. I'm thinking to myself, wow, these brisket prices really have done these places in. So much loss.

I mentioned this to a local today and he remarked, "They're not closed." Incredulously, I offered, "Yes...every one I've seen is clearly closed." "We're between seasons," he explained, smiling wryly.

But of course. It all made sense now and I felt silly for not realizing it. This area of central Texas thrives on two things....river rafting season and hunting season. We're right between the two at the moment. With no tourists/hunters, you can't operate a restaurant, let alone one on such small profit margins of BBQ. In a few weeks, these places will be lit up.

I feel better now.

(Yes, and the aforementioned local did appropriately make fun of me for having growing up and spent my entire life in a Big City.)

[58limited]

Yep, things are seasonal in small towns and most stores close by 5 or 6pm. That is why Snow's BBQ in Lexington is only open on Saturday mornings: to coincide with the livestock auction which attracts a lot of people from the surrounding areas.

[Duanessmokedmeats]

City folk.

[Donw]

Doesn’t just happen in small towns. Near us is Ocean City, Maryland inwhich on summer weekends the population grows to over 240,000 people. That would make us the 2nd largest city in Maryland if the population stayed at that level year round.
However, in the winter the population drops to around 7,000.
Our main drag is a 10 mile long 8 lane state highway that is full of heavy traffic and jams all summer, but until a few years ago all traffic light on the highway were put on flashing yellow in the winter.
Most businesses, restaurants, and hotels shutdown all winter. It really is a ghost town outside of tourist season. You could easily go broke staying open in winter if you depended on tourism.

[glitchy]

Ever seen City Slickers? And a prof to boot 😂😂😂

I spend as much summertime as I can in NW MN and now that kids are grown some of spring and fall too. Up there a major chunk of businesses only open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, probably half or more of the restaurants plus many other businesses. Our favorite Mexican Restaurant is owned by a teacher which well accommodates this (but she’s crazy and has triplets and 5 kiddos total and the triplets just graduated HS this year). Most of her staff are other teachers and HS/College kids.

[texastweeter]

Our local non chain smoke joint is only open 3 days a week. Friday during HS football season, NOTHING is open. A couple of local hangout spots open after the game for the players, but yeah not much. When I was in HS in Wills Point (and for those of you that saw the short lived TV show about that HS yes, Coach Lamb was my coach and principal, yes folks rode horses to school, and yes we had to tuck in all shirts, be clean shaven and hair hat to not touch our collar, or ears) the couple of traffic lights actually changed to flashing red lights. Its "different", but our way of life.

[Oak Smoke]

As it should be. We had much the same rules. There’s a picture of me as a senior being made to shave my sideburns by the football coach in the annual. I rebelled not long after that. I left college with hair 4 inches below my shoulders and full side burns.

[cruiseplanner1]

If you have heard of Mackinaw Island in Michigan before you go to the island is Mackinaw City on the Lower Peninsula and St. Ignace in the UP. Both cater to the folks visiting the island and local area. Twenty years ago or so a lot of the major chains came in and built multi story hotels in both cities. Imagine my surprise the first time I went up there in late October and almost all of them are already closed for the season. Such large buildings had to cost a fortune and you would think they would have to keep them open to survive but no.

[dpearce]

My wife and her old HS friend just went up there for the first time at the end of July. She said some of the locals were telling them the same kind of story. Lots of businesses and hotels will close down for the winter.