Lack of cold weather impacting cold weather businesses
MINNEAPOLIS — For the first time in a long time, snowflakes falling and sticking around in Minnesota. It's December 9, and Ryn Underhill-Cady is finally celebrating the dusting of snow at the dog park.
"I was happy to see something falling from the sky," Underhill-Cady smiled. "I would love for it to be relatively normal weather for December."
Parts of the state only saw a dusting, while other got a few inches Saturday afternoon. But local businesses are waiting for some cold weather. Prior Lake Bait and Tackle manager Aidan Hammill said in 9 hours he's had fewer than 10 customers.
"There's no one fishing around here, very little ice around here," Hammill said frustrated. In fact, business has been so slow it's leading to a very slow. "It's a huge hit for the company and for the state of Minnesota," Hammill said.
The lack of ice on lakes, is hurting their bottom line. "Right now, we can't afford to be open on weekdays because people aren't getting out," Hammill stated.
Hammill said they've also had to lay off six employees because they can't afford to pay them right now. "We (ice fishing businesses) didn't think there's any way we get two horrible ice fishing winters in a row," he said.
Now, he's banking on Mother Nature to bring snow and ice that actually sticks around.