Spring Break Challenges Some Towson Businesses

Spring break means many things to many people. To Towson University students, it means a cruise or a trip home. To York Road drivers, it means a weeklong reprieve from the usual crush of cars. But to some businesses dependent on student traffic, it means changing gears.

Towson University's spring break is this week, so many of its nearly 22,000 students are out of town. Goucher College's spring break was last week, but with 1,600 students, the break there was not as noticeable. Other schools, including the University of Maryland and , are also on spring break this week.

Roughly one-fifth of Towson's students are from outside Maryland, and many other students commute from elsewhere in Baltimore County, Baltimore City and other nearby counties.

Fewer students translate into tight times for restaurateurs like Tom Trinkle.

Trinkle co-owns in Towson. The bar and grill, located on the Towson University campus, loses 25 to 30 percent of its business during spring break.

"We're fortunate in the fact a lot of the (restaurant) staff goes to college, so when spring break hits a lot of them go out of town," Trinkle said.

Trinkle said the drop is "more drastic" in the summer, when he might lose 35 to 40 percent of his traffic. Needless to say, he looks forward to expanded summer programs at the university almost as much as he looks forward to Orioles season.

"We get business from the college in a variety of ways," Trinkle said. "We get faculty and staff that account for a lot of lunch business and dinner business and the kids, of course, during happy hour. And if most people are out of town, a lot of the students just leave."

Charles Crerand, general manager of , said he has yet to see a noticeable difference during spring break, though the mall does not employ any methods to count the crowds.

"This past weekend the mall was packed on Saturday and Sunday, so it's hard to see a real difference," Crerand said.

Nancy Hafford, executive director of the Towson Chamber of Commerce, said she notices that retail businesses do better as students from other schools come home, while restaurants see a slight hit.

"Sometimes I think we switch them (student populations) out a bit," she said, "This time of year helps our retail, like clothing store kind of things because the weather's turning."

Brian Recher, co-owner of and Rec Room, said his business actually goes up, as returning students on vacation drop in to catch a show or meet old friends. He sees a similar effect around other holidays and during the summer.

"Plus we have an outdoor patio that just kills," he said.

At , co-owner Jill Paco said the restaurant was ready for the break, with several corporate gatherings and lacrosse team dinners lined up for the week.

Though late night traffic has taken a hit, "We've had a lot of other events planned so it's not really affecting our business," she said.