Beer sales are a strong indicator of rally crowds
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Bike week numbers
Bike week numbersPublished: September 30, 2009
Updated: October 1, 2009
One big ticket item during the rallies and perhaps a good barometer on rally size is beer.
In fact, most bar and restaurant owners said during the rallies, beer sales account for more than half their profits.
David Marshlack, owner The Iron Gate and several other bars and restaurants in Horry County said beer accounts for about 60% of his sales. And with fewer people coming to the fall Harley-Davidson motorcycle rally, Marshlack said he’s not expecting to make a huge profit. “We’re hoping to do 50% down, if we can go that, we’ll be fine, we’ll be happy with that.“
Marshlack said a decline in beer sales has a domino effect on the rest of the area. He said if people aren’t here to buy beer, then that means they aren’t here to spend money anywhere else. “They don’t spend money in hotels, restaurants, and the people just aren’t here to spend the kind of money they used to.”
Longtime bartender Bobbi Louyakis said she wouldn’t have her job without beer sales. “My best rally I made eleven thousand, in a ten day rally, my worst rally, I made three thousand.“
Ann Winnard said the money she makes during the fall rally helps her survive the lean winter months. “It gives me financial stability where I can pay off some bills, I can potentially put down a payment for a home, which is something I’m looking at doing and without the rallies, the money simply would not be in this area.“
Louyakis said there aren’t as many customers at this year’s fall rally than in years past and the ones that do come, have to pay more money. “People don’t like paying more because they’re used to two dollars for a beer, which was a great deal five or six years ago, not so much anymore, people have to spend three or four dollars for a beer and that’s everywhere, that’s not just this bar.“
Marshlack said sales are down all over, but while they are down, they’re not devastated. He says the next couple of days will be a good indicator for him about the future of the rally and its profits.
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Reader Reactions
The cost of beer, food, and tee shirts in a tourist area has always been high and will always be whatever the vendors can get for them; a fact of life.
It seems strange to me that an area that is so dependent on “tourist” dollars would ostracize a single group that brings in so much money to the area. Yeah there is a small minority that cause problems but I got news for you if you have any group of people you’re going to have to deal with that situation. Doesn’t matter if they’re Shriners, golfers, Baptist or bikers, they all have an unsavory element to them. However, the flavor of the month is bikers right now. Anyone who’s been these other groups knows it’s true, so don’t get all high and mighty with me for saying something you know is true.
I don’t ride but I have a lot of friends that do and they’re just regular people. I’ve seen more problems from the students during Spring Break than I did during the Harley Rally or the Atlantic Beach Rally, but no one seems to have a problem with eighteen to twenty-four year olds running amuck. Under aged drinking, pot, and other drugs, you couldn’t walk down Ocean Boulevard and not smell the pot being smoked this past Spring and everyone seemed to think that was ok. But let a guy on a motorcycle come through town and the entire fabric of the Universe was about to come undone.
Bikers are no worst than many other groups we have here, in fact they not as bad because they know everyone is watching them in particular. I’m not saying they don’t get loud and party, but if you let them know where the lines are they will respect them for the most part, and yeah, there will be some to cross the line. However, people do that everywhere, that’s why we have police and private security companies.
The whole selectivity of it all seems rather one sided to me, we want the guys on bikes out, but we allow students to run amuck, drink and get high and everyone seems to think that “so cute”. But god help them when they come back on their motorcycles.
scarecrow457: I agree.
It is ridiculous how much one beer cost at bars, in particular, bars at the beach.
I really don’t feel sorry for the bartenders, bar owners, etc.
Anyone willing to pay 3 or 4 dollars for a beer is part of the problem. The seller gets it from the distributor for about 1/4th of that price. That ain’t a decent profit margin, it is a rip-off. In the first place, a motorcycle [especially] requires even more skill than cars, so to put even one in your gullet and ride is foolish. Those of us who rode the Honda Hoot in Knox, Tenn. waited till the end of the day for the beer. It was an ironclad rule in our group.
Until something is done to change the anti Harley rider sentiment, the area can expect not to make money off this previously wonderful group of tourist. Feelings have been hurt and so far there has been no amends from the town of Myrtle Beach. If I spend any money this week it will be up the road at Beach House Harley Davidson dealership at 4919 ocean Hwy, Shallotte North Carolina, 28470, where they will be having Biketober Fest the rest of this week. http://www.beachhousehd.com/event_calendar.asp
I will enjoy all that the Grand Strand has to offer and will avoid Myrtle Beach, a town that I no longer have anything to do with, but I will be spending as little money as possible. It is bad enough that my tax money helps support the kind of people that have been doing so many of these negative things. I have gotten rid of several cars and soon will get rid of all but one of my motorcycles. I can only hope that others will join my example of citizens that have had more than enough. Yes Enough is Enough.
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