Memorial Day Weekend: Beach businesses hoping for busy season

Beach businesses ready for Memorial Day Weekend

Businesses by the water all across the region are hoping it'll be a booming summer season this year. FOX 5 New York's Sharon Crowley visits Long Beach to see how business owners there are getting ready.

Beach businesses across the area are hoping Memorial Day weekend will be the beginning of a booming summer season this year.

2023 is the first summer since the official end of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the potential return of pre-pandemic crowds has small business owners keeping their fingers crossed.

At The Beach Burger on the boardwalk in Long Beach, owners Ralph and Stacy Anselmo are counting on a busy Summer.

"We’re very hopeful about this season. We are very hopeful for a nice bounce back this year," Ralph said.

"I think everybody’s really excited, especially in Long Beach," Stacy said. "There’s a saying in Long Beach, ‘9 months of worry, 3 months of hurry.’ This Winter here has been long and slow. Everybody from the East to the West End, they are geared up, they are prepped up, and Long Beach is excited for everybody to come down."

Some business owners are still trying to recover from losses incurred during the pandemic and now are facing serious labor shortages.

But beach-goers are also optimistic this may be the best Summer in years.