Moving to Tampa Bay, why does everything close on weekends? (Clearwater: how much, buying)

[vaughanwilliams]

The establishments you mentioned are closed on Sundays because they choose to be. They're not chain stores with an unlimited supply of minimum wage employees-they're long established businesses with long time employees. They don't cater exclusively to tourists (thank God-we have more than enough of that), many have customers who have been going there for years. They know their market, they know their clientele, they know what hours and days are conductive for business.
This isn't exclusive to Tampa Bay-it's like this everywhere.

[algia]

Because people need a DAY OR TWO OFF!

You're lucky you don't live in Europe. Working non stop is NOT good for you. As far as I am concerned they should all be closed on weekends. People need to RELAX!!!

[telluride3]

VAUGHN I am not just talking about indiv. establishments, I am talking about entire districts. And no, it's not like that everywhere. I guess either people are ignoring my previous posts or I just have to keep repeating myself.

Due to the fact that many of these places are shut down half the weekend, that in turn shuts down a whole DISTRICT. Which turns away tourists (and locals!!!!), tourism (and local) dollars, jobs, etc. As we all know small business is a very precarious thing and shutting down half the weekend can make or break a business. And once a shop closes, all the other shops close, and you have a dead zone in what otherwise could be a bustling area. These businesses who you say "know their clientele", when they are closed in 5 years, I could tell them why.

But I guess what you are saying is that you have too many tourists already and do not wish to attract anymore. Astonishing. I'm sure other people who are thinking about moving to Tampa bay are reading this thread and cannot believe that people there would want to keep visitors away, instead of attracting them.

New slogan idea: "Tampa Bay: open for business, but only on weekdays, or whenever we feel like it."

Remember: MORE BUSINESS IS GOOD, LESS BUSINESS IS BAD.

[BucFan]

//www.city-data.com/forum/tampa...lls-tampa.html

//www.city-data.com/forum/tampa...mpa-malls.html

//www.city-data.com/forum/tampa...aters-etc.html

[tamparesident26]

Originally Posted by telluride3

And don't insult Mazarros and the other places on my list by saying tourists are not interested in going there on weekends. Last time I was at Mazarros there was a busload of tourists there. That place, and other places like Haslams, etc. are in fact tourist destinations. Where do you think we shop and eat? At places that are recommended. Which may be in places like Downtown St Pete but which also may be in out of the way areas too. I only eat at independent places recommended by local friends or that have 4+ stars on Yelp, Urbanspoon, etc. I know that I am not the only tourist who does this. And many of those places (and entertainment districts) are closed half the weekend and missing out on big business and giving it to the big chains instead.

Nobody was insulting anything. Simply stating that a location like where Mazzaro's happens to be is not exactly a tourist district. Now, if they were located across the street from the Trop or something it would be one thing. But they are not. What else noteworthy that tourists are flocking to see is on 22nd Ave N? That's great if they have a busload of tourists there, but I'm sure that was a stop that was on the way to somewhere else. Not knocking the place whatsoever - but let's be realistic here. Nobody is organizing a bus tour to a deli.

As has been mentioned time and time again in this very thread - it is the choice of the owner of the individual business as to whether or not they want to be open on Sundays. There might be a plethora of reasons why they aren't which has nothing to do with "old fashioned" thinking or whatever it was called. For all you know they may have tried and it is was unsuccessful. Clearly you don't own a business or you would understand that being open also requires you to SPEND money - you have to pay your staff, utilities, etc and so on. If being open on X day doesn't turn you a profit, then it makes better sense for you to be closed or you are losing money.

[n100429]

im interning at Tampa Bay and Company (chamber of commerce) and this is a common rant with tourists. shopping is a major component of our marketing programs (we even have a whole page dedicated to it on our website) and we constantly deal with complaints from people who say the places are not open or that they close like at 2 p.m. on a saturday. we recommend people go to Hyde park and ybor yet these areas are dead on Sundays. People do shop when they are here. And they go to mazarros, which by the way is not just a "deli," its known throughout the USA as a premiere Italian marketplace. when people ask us where do people go on sundays, we have to divert them to the beach, parks, attractions, etc. lately i have been sending people to the ellenton stores.

[algia]

That's pathetic.

I mean for someone to come vacation all the way to such a wonderful area and be concerned with "shopping"...that's just wasteful at best.


Next time, tell them people like to enjoy the #1 beaches in the US, and not the AC'd to death stores that carry the same merchandise you can find in a hole in Nebraska. (no offense to Nebraska)

Let me tell you what we do on weekends: on Saturday's we go to theme parks, and on Sunday's we RELAX at the beach after a full 14 hour day of walking around theme parks.

Originally Posted by n100429

im interning at Tampa Bay and Company (chamber of commerce) and this is a common rant with tourists. shopping is a major component of our marketing programs (we even have a whole page dedicated to it on our website) and we constantly deal with complaints from people who say the places are not open or that they close like at 2 p.m. on a saturday. we recommend people go to Hyde park and ybor yet these areas are dead on Sundays. People do shop when they are here. And they go to mazarros, which by the way is not just a "deli," its known throughout the USA as a premiere Italian marketplace. when people ask us where do people go on sundays, we have to divert them to the beach, parks, attractions, etc. lately i have been sending people to the ellenton stores.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by algia

That's pathetic.

I mean for someone to come vacation all the way to such a wonderful area and be concerned with "shopping"...that's just wasteful at best.


Next time, tell them people like to enjoy the #1 beaches in the US, and not the AC'd to death stores that carry the same merchandise you can find in a hole in Nebraska. (no offense to Nebraska)

I know, isn't that the truth? You know, just when I think I've heard the most ridiculous complaint about the area ever, there is always someone to come along (transplant, etc.) to top it. I've been in Florida and the Tampa Bay area my WHOLE LIFE and have never heard anyone complain about this. And by the same token, when I take a vacation, the LAST thing I have on my mind is any kind of shopping, and if I DO need to shop I just find what's open when it's open and deal with it! That goes for restaurants too, because many of those are closed one or two days a week. And that holds true for most cities/towns in the country.

Geez, aren't there more important things to be concerned about??

[user8]

Originally Posted by algia

That's pathetic.

I mean for someone to come vacation all the way to such a wonderful area and be concerned with "shopping"...that's just wasteful at best.


Next time, tell them people like to enjoy the #1 beaches in the US, and not the AC'd to death stores that carry the same merchandise you can find in a hole in Nebraska. (no offense to Nebraska)

Let me tell you what we do on weekends: on Saturday's we go to theme parks, and on Sunday's we RELAX at the beach after a full 14 hour day of walking around theme parks.

I couldn't agree more.

Besides, who the hell comes to Tampa for the shopping? I didn't realize there were so many commerce snobs visiting. There's plenty of stuff open on Sunday. Go there.

You complainers want to see commerce at its mind-numbingly aggravating worst? Go to the Mediterranean island of Malta, where businesses close down for lunch and never reopen because the shopkeeper went home to have lunch with his/her family, took a siesta, and didn't wake up until the late afternoon. That's IF they bothered to open that day in the first place.

[vaughanwilliams]

Maybe the OP should ask the business owners. I'm betting the answer will be "Because we want to".