Businesses Hope for Retail Fireworks Over Holiday Weekend

As the Fourth of July weekend approaches, Beverly Hills businesses are gearing up for what they hope will be a shopping and spending boom.

Traditionally one of summer's biggest travel and tourism occasions, this weekend brings sales and specials to the city's shops, restaurants and hotels. While AAA estimates median spending for this weekend at about $644, down $50 from last year, Beverly Hills businesses are optimistic.

"We're definitely expecting to be busy," said Katie Markarian, a sales associate at Club Monaco on Beverly Drive. "All the stores are having big sales, and the weather's supposed to be nice, which hopefully means people will be out shopping."

Those sentiments were echoed by a bartender at the Cheesecake Factory, also on Beverly Drive, who pointed out that the area's bars and restaurants have benefited immensely from the current World Cup mania. There are several high-stakes games being played on Friday and Saturday afternoons.

"People are coming in specifically to watch the games, or they're out and remember so they stop in," said the bartender, who chose not to give his name. "Either way, they're here and eating and drinking, and I think having games on and having it be the fourth will make us pretty busy."

Hotels are also seeing an increase in customers over the holiday weekend. At the Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive, a boutique hotel at the corner of Rodeo Drive and Brighton Way, all but one of the hotel's 88 rooms were booked through the weekend. According to AAA, the number of Americans traveling the July 4 weekend will rise 17.1 percent from 2009, with 34.9 million travelers taking a trip at least 50 miles away from home.

But increased foot traffic from visitors doesn't always result in sales. Several employees at Rodeo's upscale shops like Chanel and Bottega Venetta noted that holiday weekends mean they see more people coming into the stores, but that those people aren't necessarily looking to buy.

Still, local residents look forward to what the weekend will bring to the neighborhood. Stephen Jordan, a longtime Beverly Hills resident, said he'd be glad to see people coming to the area to dine and shop, even if it meant parking trouble and longer lines at his favorite restaurants and coffee shops.

"We have chains here, but there are also a lot of independent businesses," Jordan said. "I hope out-of-town guests and people who already live here take advantage of that and come and help these places stay open."