Business booms in downtown Palm Springs ahead of New Year’s Eve

The city of Palm Springs has been enjoying some of the warmest weather in the country- and it is paying off big time for local businesses.

The streets were packed. The stores were filled. And at some places, customers were lined up out the door and down the sidewalk. Business is booming and it is being felt by everyone.

“It has been a busy day for poetry in Palm Springs,” said Jeremy M. Brownlowe, a street artist who calls himself the “Typewriter Troubadour” and writes poems on demand. He told ESQ News Channel 3’s and CBS Local 2’s Katie Widner that he was having a hard time keeping up with demand.

“I have actually had to tell people to go take a look around the street because it is going to take a little more time than usual, because I have poems stacked up,” he said.

Locally owned businesses said they were seeing it too.

“This whole week has been phenomenal. People started pouring into town last Sunday.” said Debby Alexander, owner of Peabody’s Cafe. “We killed it, probably did 100 percent better than we did last year on Thursday.”

Even big-businesses seemed to be happy.

“It’s been quite busy, maybe even a little busier than expected,” said Abe Liao, general manager of The Rowan hotel, which opened last month. “The hotel has been close to selling out the last two nights. We anticipate the next two nights to sell out.”

Looking toward 2018, the downtown area is expected to stay busy with the Palm Springs Film Festival coming up next week.