Sisters sees brisk business

Sisters has experienced an exceptional business week following Christmas according to many local businesses. Booming business has not only been tourist related, but locals are taking advantage of community resources as well.

Hotel rooms are filled; in the tradition of the season there has been no room at the inn. Karen Elliott of Sisters Inn & RV Park said that it has been difficult to keep up. She attributed the high volume of traffic in part to local events.

"Luckily SOAR is putting on some basketball tournaments, and we have been very lucky that a lot of people are coming over from the valley," she said. "We are 100 percent booked."

Elliott continued that this week does not seem like just an oasis in the desert; things are looking good for the future.

"We have some weekends coming up that also are looking very good," she said.

The Best Western Ponderosa Lodge was having a like experience, according to manager Lonnie Gates.

"We have been full all week, primarily with the basketball tournament. It has been a big boost for everybody," he said. "The skiing availability at Hoodoo has also been a big drawing card."

Hoodoo Mountain Resort has had a sharp upswing in business, according to Crystal Pizzola, the ski area's marketing director. She reported that the Christmas holiday was a record week.

"Yes, definitely a record week," she said. "Everybody in the ski school is new to Hoodoo and they are coming from the valley, Salem, Portland and Bend."

Pizzola believes that the improvements that Hoodoo has made over the last years have encouraged people to come back to Hoodoo.

Black Butte Ranch, the area's other big recreational draw, is also noticing an increase in guests. Loy Helmly, the Ranch's general manager, stated, "Christmas weekend was just average, but things are really picking up this week. It is going to be a very good weekend for New Year's."

Helmly attributes the Ranch's booming business in part to the weather.

"The fresh snow that we just had has been great," he said. "Now with the beautiful sun, everyone is really upbeat."

Helmly mentioned that carriage rides have been a big draw this year. He also stated that cross country ski and snowshoe rentals have been doing very well and that he has enjoyed seeing people head up to the hills.

As would be expected with the additional activity in town, restaurant trade has been brisk. Francisco Robles of El Rancho Grande said, "Yes, we have been very, very busy. Business has been very good for us this week." He said that not only is the local trade strong, but also there have been many tourists who are here because of the snow and the holidays.

Stefani Kirsch, manager of Coyote Creek Café agreed that business is good.

She said, "We are doing pretty good, much better than last year."

She added that the restaurant opened for breakfast everyday last week as there was so much business.

"A lot of tourists and families are coming in," she said.

Susie Allely of Sisters Coffee Company was a little more guarded about the increase in business saying cautiously, "It is better than last year." Later she said that things are going very well.

Outside of the businesses that normally attract the strong tourist trade, things have also been going well. Margie Knox of The Dime Store remarked about this year's holiday season that things are "not too bad. It's better than last year. I think there are more local people shopping than usual, but there are also a lot of tourists."

Knox does not believe that the tourist business alone is responsible for the upswing in her sales.

"This year I have got a lot of locals that have lived here for several years and have never been in - they come in for something and realize what I have and say 'you will see us again.'"