For local businesses that rely on Elon University students for most of their capital, the summer months can be extremely challenging. With students making up the majority of the Town of Elon population, having so many potential customers away from campus can be devastating. Ashraf Ahmed, chief manager of Subway on West Lebanon Avenue, said there is a drastic difference in the profit Subway sees during the school year versus the summer.

“Half of the business we get now doesn’t come in,” Ahmed said.

Ahmed said there is little he and his staff can do combat the drop in revenue every year. While small establishments are forced to withstand major setbacks because of lack of manpower, more seasoned, fan favorite companies are able to off balance the summer struggle with creative ways. Peter Ustach, co-owner of Fat Frogg and Pandora’s Pies, said even though his eateries’ profits fall by about 40 percent, he enlists the help of special events such as trivia night to keep his business afloat.

“Both Pandora’s and Fat Frogg do fall off because its seasonal,” Ustach said. “But it’s not as much as a drop-off as people assume.”

Ustach said keeps his staff busy and remains prevalent in the community by operating a concession stand by a local community pool. This pool is only open in the summer and helps average out the effect of a loss of students and faculty on profits. Ustach also said Elon summer camps, such as basketball and football, also help keep staff busy during the summer.

“This is always great because instead of cutting staff, I can just send some of them over there,” Ustach said. “That way they can keep full time employment hours and gain a little extra income.”

Ustach said business begins to pick up again around mid-August, but for other institutions around Alamance County, the hit from summer vacation is not felt as severely. Footlocker, located in the Alamance Crossing Shopping Center, sees more shoppers and buyers in the summer instead of the school year. Kendal, a sales associate at Footlocker who wouldn’t disclose his last name, said the summer months are when most new shoe releases occur, which leads to more commerce.

“In the summer, we see a little more traffic,” Kendal said. “It’s true that college may be out, but high schools also play a really big factor.”