The Lorton Perspective: Local Businesses Survive Dog Days of Summer

Hot, isn't it? Well, since summer is generally regarded as a slow time for small businesses, Patch decided to venture out and ask: How does your business cope with the summer heat? 

We got some interesting answers:

Maurice Clarke, owner of , spoke to Patch on a quick break:

"The heat is a little bit of a complexity for my business, because we have to alter our heating and air conditioning with the volume of people that we have inside. Last month, our heating bill almost doubled. We pretty much have to take the hit until the heat subsides… The biggest challenge is maintaining the high quality of service. Heat makes employees tired and lethargic, and I tell them to keep hydrated. We give out bottled water and have a three-gallon tank of chilled citrus water for customers."

Lawrence Reese owns , and could barely speak to Patch, as he cooked five separate orders:  

"I keep my door closed and the air conditioner on during the day, and I pray that things keep going the way they are. It's going pretty good. People are eating and they're liking it, and, as you see I'm always here to make sure the food is up to a high standard…Yeah, it's hot, but hard work, persistence and customer service has paid off for me. But that's what I'm supposed to do —make you comfortable." 

Stacey Chabra owns , which is waiting for homecoming season to pick business back up. The shop is downright chilly inside, and the hum of the air conditioner and refrigerators drowns out the History Channel on a small flat-screen television:

"We used to advertise in newspapers back when print was important, but nowadays no one looks at those ads anymore. People find us on the Internet for their local flower shop needs, but it's tough to compete online with Teleflora or 1-800 Flowers… We just have to take the hit." 

RE/MAX Realtor Susan Borrelli is seeing more business: 

"I always make sure there is water in the car. In terms of non-holiday months, August is usually one of the slowest months for real estate, but our business has not slowed down at all. The interest rates have gone down so low that homes I thought would take four-to-six weeks to go to contract have gone to contract in three-to-four days."

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