With thousands of people flocking to Pismo Beach for the 4th of July, local businesses are seeing an economic boom throughout the holiday weekend.
“This is normally our biggest actual day of the whole year and I think that goes for everybody down here. It’s very busy," said Cat Wexler, owner of Ashtie's Beach Shack.
With increased crowds come big preparations for local businesses.
“We work for weeks getting everything ready for it. Getting our staffing together, getting extra bread made," said Splash Cafe owner Joanne Currie.
Currie said it’s one of the biggest days of the year for Splash Cafe, prompting them to operate both the storefront and a booth to help with customer lines.
“From the beginning of the weekend through [to the end], we’ve done thousands of bread bowls," Currie said.
Food isn’t the only hot ticket item. Beachgoers are also spending big bucks on beach umbrellas, sweatshirts, blankets, you name it.
“It’s been pretty busy here I think because it’s the first year without mask mandates everybody has decided to come out," Wexler said.
“So many people come here that the impact is year-round because they remember it, they make all the memories, they have the Pismo Beach experience," Currie said.
