Heat Means Increased Profits For Purveyors Of Cold Drinks, Fans
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The heat is uncomfortable and potentially dangerous, but it also means increased profits for some.
As CBS 2's Susan Carlson reports, the 7-11 at Clark Street and Montrose Avenue was one place where the hot weather was adding up to dollar signs.
The weather had everyone craving something cold to drink, especially those who didn't have the option of driving around with the air conditioning on.
"I'm trying to go get my driver's permit, and I was really thirsty, so I decided to stop at 7-11 to go get something to drink," said Gidofr Chika.
The manager at the 7-11 told CBS 2 that sales of Slurpees were up 50 percent since the heat hit Sunday. Chika was in need of one in particular, given that he arrived on his bicycle.
"It's a little difficult. I'm a little sweaty, it's kind of hard, but I'm all right," he said.
Meanwhile at a Walgreens in the Lincoln Square neighborhood, sales were abreeze for window fans. They were on display right at the front of the drugstore, and workers regularly restocked the shelves to help shoppers like Joe Krucek keep cool.
"A lot of family members and everything knew that I needed a fan, and so they started bringing some over. I bought a couple from here. So I'm stocked up. That's all I need for the summer right now," Krucek said. He said it was "a little bit cooler" with the fans.
Strangely, at one hardware store in Lincoln Square, the sales of air conditioning units were down compared to last year. By this time 2010, the store had sold 30 units, whereas so far this year, they have only sold seven.
Of course, the gap may narrow as the near triple-digit temperatures continue for the rest of the week.
