Photo by Catherine Stachowiak
Fireworks were a big draw, this past Independence Day, as business owners expected.
The Kern Valley Sun interviewed various types of businesses, July 19, from different locations of the Kern River Valley, to see how the economy and tourism fared during the triple digit temperature heat wave of the July 4 holiday weekend.
“Summer for Whiskey Flat Antiques & Gifts is always fantastic,” said Diane Wilson, owner of the shop located in the town of Kernville. The store featuring books, collectibles, jewelry and toys along with vintage clothing, recently participated in a fundraiser for Sarge’s Wreaths 4 Vets, put on by Notorious Entertainment.
“Fourth of July weekend was great. We were one of the businesses that participated in the Red, White, & Blues, Wine & Dessert Walk. We did great. Business was fantastic. The wine walk was nice. It was a great kick off to an annual event. Everybody had a wonderful time. Our pairing was a moscato with lemon cheesecake bites. It was really refreshing.”
Karla Arias, the owner of the popular eatery Kern River Ceviche Company
located in the business hub of Lake Isabella, seemed to be happy with her take. She told the Kern Valley Sun, “For 4th of July weekend we encountered a lot of tourists that came from all over. We were extremely busy. We were very successful with sales, and foot traffic.”
The restaurant features a unique menu from south of the border including fish and shrimp dishes. “We also lounged our beer and wine so we saw a lot of locals enjoy the local beer that we do from the brewing company, Kern River Brewing Company,” said Arias. “We just lounged our beer and wine in July. So we lounged it on Fourth of July and it was such a success. We were already getting traffic before the beer and wine. But the people enjoyed pairing (our food) with beer and wine.”
While owners pondered how the heat wave might show up on their sales, apparently they were not hindered. Arias said, “Since a lot of people came to see the fireworks at the lake, we saw a lot of customers came here, before and after the fireworks. So we had very heavy, heavy foot traffic.”
Manager at Lakeshore Lodge in Wofford Heights, Donna Smith said things have been running smoothly for her establishment. “We’re doing great. We’ve just been solid with our business. We haven’t had to have any concerns or anything.”
The pet friendly motel, located between Lake Isabella and the mighty Kern River, features BBQ facilities, WIFI, microwaves, mini fridges, and coffee machines for guests. “We’ve stayed solidly busy. The heat has not stopped anyone from coming up and visiting and enjoying the valley,” Smith said.
