Business owners say rally turnout decent, could be better

By: Thema Ponton | SCNow
Published: May 14, 2009

By most accounts, the 2009 Harley-Davidson spring rally is slow for many businesses, vendors, and even bikers. Harley-Davidson spokesman Mike Shank says the overall numbers are fair, but they should be much better than they are. But Shank says he is thankful for the people who are here to experience the event.

And while many bikers are avoiding Myrtle Beach and many of its businesses, some businesses are benefiting.

Candy Putt runs The Cycle Patch booth at Myrtle Beach Mall and the company is also set up at two other locations, Barefoot Landing and the Myrtle Beach Harley-Davidson shop, outside of Myrtle Beach. Putt says the turnout at the Myrtle Beach Mall has been up and down, but she will continue to support the rally.

"We'll probably always come, as long as they let us, unless they scare us away, like in the fall." Putt said.

“Doghouse” Dave Ankin, owner of The Doghouse on the north end, said many longtime customers did not come back this year. He said there are only a limited number of people at the rally. And while he is seeing the benefits of more bikers, because many are not going into Myrtle Beach at all, he said he feels badly for other business owners.

"They (bikers) want to boycott the city, boycott the city and I understand driving around it, you know you don't want a ticket, you don't want to get any headaches, I understand all that, and we've made it available for them to do that, but it's also a shame that they've done that." Ankin said.

At HB Spokes Saloon, manager Keith Rogers said many bikers just didn't come because they don't know what to expect. Rogers said the atmosphere is not the same, morale is low and a lot of people just stayed away.

"I think we are seeing the benefits of it, but now I think people have not come, uh now we're getting more people to come this way, but we're not getting as many.”

Rogers said he's hoping word of mouth will spread that north end is OK, the south end is OK, if Myrtle Beach doesn't want rally goers, he says they are more than welcome on the north end.