Patio restaurants in Palm Springs see decreased foot traffic amid holiday storms

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – It's rainy start to the new year in the Coachella Valley, and many are looking to avoid the storm during the holidays.

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are popular holidays for people to visit Downtown Palm Springs, but the rain might be putting a damper on tourism. Businesses have been expecting an increase in sales and foot traffic, but with the rain that's now uncertain.

"We had 14 reservations canceled today in the last I want to say in the last two hours," Mark Hewitt, the owner of Bongo Johnny's Patio Bar and Grill, said. "When half of your patio space is uncovered and, you know, normally under this glorious sun that we have here, you lose a ton of business."

"It's definitely hurt our business," Willie Rhine, co-owner of Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge, said. "Fortunately, we have a large, indoor lounge area — but we definitely got hurt both holidays. ”

Now Hewitt and Rhine are looking toward tourism season to help pick up their businesses before the summer. But, each said there are other factors in play that keep their concerns high.

“I think the biggest fears is that is that the tourism season is going to be down this year is and we've already seen some of that," Hewitt said. "We've seen a lot of our snowbirds that are not coming back.”

“Our industry right now is probably the hardest it's ever been," Rhine said. "Our cost of labor has gone up. Our cost of goods have gone up. So we definitely need as many operating days as possible. [The rain] definitely doesn't help.” 

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from visitors and businesses on the impacts of the rain.