With summer ending, East Lansing businesses are preparing for increased traffic

• It's no secret the Summer months in East Lansing see less traffic while students are away, and with Fall move-in just around the corner, businesses are preparing to return to normal.
• David Boyd, the Co-Manager of Rally House East Lansing, says they've been planning all Summer for the increased business in the Fall.
• Video shows Boyd sharing his experiences with Fall move-in in years past, and what he says will be unique about this year for his store.

(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)

It's no secret that the summer months bring a slowdown to the neighborhood as MSU students return home. With students returning to campus next week, businesses are getting ready for a return to normal.

"It's been a slower-than-average summer," Brittney Brown said.

Pizza House is just one business that's seen the slow-down. And not just because students are away.

"We've got some construction on the roads, so it's been slower than normal I would say," Brown said.

But, Assistant General Manager Brittney Brown says they're excited for the change of pace that comes with the return of MSU students.

"Business doubles about immediately, I would say, once the students start to move back in," she said. "You know the parents will take a break, they'll come over here. We're right across from campus so we literally see traffic building up at the dorms."

Elsewhere in the neighborhood, as families move in, they might stop into Rally House for some Spartan gear. Co-Manager David Boyd says he often sees an uptick starting with move-in week, and planning for the fall comes early.

"We do spend that early part of the summer kind of pre-planning and seeing what are we going to do, how much staff are we going to need, is it kind of the usual," Boyd said.

But what's Fall on campus without football season? Spartan Football also returns at the end of the month, bringing even more traffic to the neighborhood. David tells me with an extra home game this year, this could be an especially busy Fall.

"By the end of August, we are going to have a staff of 45 to 50," Boyd said. "We need that because football season is our Christmas season. This is getting into the crazy time. This year we kind of look at it, and with seven games, boy, we're going to need a healthy staff here."

And they'll need it quick—with MSU students moving in next week, and the first home football game set for August 30.

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