If you want a quiet dinner or a peaceful grocery shopping trip, head out to the businesses on Washington Road during Masters week. You’ll just have to fight the traffic.
While the Masters provides an overall economic boost to Augusta, stores like Publix, Windsor and Chick-fil-A say the week is the slowest of the year for them.
“They told us they made $1 in profit last Masters,” said Malik Robertson, a customer service staff member at the Publix at National Plaza. “It’s hard to get in here with the traffic, so that’s part of it.”
For Windsor, the week is its slowest of the year, but its balance sheet stays about the same, said Shane Thompson, marketing director for the store.
“There are typically fewer but bigger purchases,” he said, referring to outside business brought in by Masters visitors.
Andrew Phan, the owner of TL Nails in National Hills Shopping Center, was taking a break on Thursday afternoon. He said the week has been fairly slow, with its regular clients having come in the week before Masters to get their nails done.
The week is also the slowest of the year for the typically bustling Washington Road Chick-fil-A, but last-minute catering orders for companies like ESPN and Windsor help, said general manager J.T. Powell. The restaurant also sees a rush of patrons coming in for breakfast when it opens at 6 a.m., he said.
Just down the road from Chick-fil-A, coffee shop Café Dulce, which opened in October, hasn’t noticed a difference in business this week, said the owner Bill Leisey.
“With the traffic patterns, this side of Washington Road is pretty quiet during Masters week,” he said.
Certain businesses deviated from the overall drop in foot traffic.
The CVS in front of The Fresh Market is busier than usual, with golf patrons stopping by for sunblock and medicine, said Ann Jones, shift supervisor at the store.
The Fresh Market also sees a swell in business from golf patrons, although its regular shoppers shy away from it for the week, said Kevin Robtoy, assistant to the manager at the store. The store tries to stock up on products in preparation for the increased business, something that worked well this year since it aligns with the Easter holiday, he said.
“Locals shop the week before and hope it lasts them for two weeks,” Robtoy said.
