FOX 17 News West Michigan

'Our biggest week of the year': Grand Haven shops prep for Coast Guard Festival

By Elliot Grandia,

2024-07-26

Coast Guard Festival is here and downtown Grand Haven will soon be inundated with visitors from all over the state and beyond.

“The streets will be full of people,” Grand Haven Chamber President Mark Allen said.

“The restaurants are really full, the stores will be full.”

This year’s celebration is sure to bring even more visitors to Coast Guard City USA because of its 100th anniversary.

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“So I'm sure that we're going to see crowds upwards of 400,000,” Allen said.

“It’s our biggest week of the summer.”

More people means more money for local businesses.

Just ask Temptations owner, Kelly Larson.

“It's probably two to three times [as busy] as you know, normally on a Saturday night,” Larson said.

Kelly has been churning business in Grand Haven for more than three decades.

Her iconic spot along the waterfront enjoys even more foot traffic than their busiest weekends during Coast Guard.

“I think we'll have 20 scoopers on Coast Guard Saturday night,” Larson said. “That weekend is just all hands on deck."

And when she says all hands on deck, she means all hands on deck .

“I was the one changing the ice cream tubs and my mom was in the backroom washing them,” Larson said.

Just down the street, we go from making waffle cones to making waves; Surf Shop Grand Haven is amped up and ready for the influx in customers.

“It's not our first rodeo,” Surf Shop Owner Laura Girard said.

Laura says they’re ready for the tsunami of business.

“Usually nobody takes a vacation during Coast Guard Week, everybody's on staff,” Girard said.

Like Temptations ice cream shop, Surf Shop is also bringing in extra reinforcements.

“We do joke that I have a couple of family members that are on speed dial if I need an extra couple people,” Girard said.

Some of these businesses earn enough during Coast Guard Week to keep their sea legs through the off-season.

“They see about a 20 to 30% increase in just that weekend, whether it's the beginning of Coast Guard or that final weekend,” Allen said.

No matter when you visit the 10-day celebration of the Coast Guard Festival's 100th Anniversary, be sure to stop in to these local businesses. Check out everything the festival has to offer here!

Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival means big business for local businesses

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