by MOSES LEOS III
As the diaspora of the dachshund community descends upon Buda for the 16th annual Lions Club Wiener Dog Races, local business owners brace for the large influx of revelers who attend this meeting of the weins.
At least, that is the idea for those who notice the increase in visitors to the fair city of Buda. However, not every business sees a profit when it comes to the festival season.
This particular caveat lies within shops that line Main Street. While revelers enjoy the amusements that take place at the Weiner Dog Festival, Louisiana Swamp Thing and Crawfish Boil or other festivals in City Park, the shops that line the main corridor of the community often go unnoticed.
“There is not much increase in business,” said Eileen Conley, owner of Memory Lane Antiques. “Even though the Wiener Dog Festival is the biggest (in Buda), for some reason, people will walk right past the shops. We get very little business.”
According to Conley, businesses that line Main Street often find more profit with Budafest and other festivals that take place on the greenbelt. However, competition with the many vendors during those festivals also takes business away from the local fair.
For Conley, the larger issue stems from people not finding an interest within the eclectic shops along Main Street. “Their focus is not on the shops,” said Conley, who has worked in the antique business for 35 years. “They just don’t bother, other than walking down back to their car.”
While Conley and other business owners have tried to attract the crowds via later operating hours and “keeping the lights on,” the unfortunate truth is that people just are not focused on shopping locally. Conley says that it is an interesting phenomenon.
She insists it’s not a new trend.
“It has always been a struggle,” Conley said.
As shops fight to maintain business during festivals, restaurants seem to flourish during the temporary increase in population.
The success of festival weekends can be seen in Helen’s Casa Alde, which has been a mainstay in Buda for more than 30 years. During such festivals as the Wiener Dog Races and Budafest, Case Alde is crammed, with every table full, according to co-owner Lillie Ann Alcala.
“That is why we like those festivals so much,” she said.
According to Alcala, Budafest remains the most profitable event for the restaurant, where customers are plentiful all day long.
“We always beef up. We have to have everything ready to go. We always have people on hand,” said Remy Alcala, cashier at Case Alde. “After the parade is over, we tell ourselves, ‘get ready, here come the customers.’
However, restaurant owners are not as fond of festivals where food is readily available, such as the Brew-B-Que and Crawfish Festival. Yet, the Buda mainstay finds a way to attract customers.
“Even with places that have booths and food, people still make their way to our restaurants,” Alcala said.
One particular business that sees a flourishing clientele during the Wiener Dog Festival is the Buda Drug Store and Soda Fountain. While it is off the main drag, people are often drawn in by the store’s confectionary treats.
“People are waiting for handmade ice cream and floats,” said employee Maureen Barrios, who has kept the Soda Fountain afloat for four years. “We have people standing in line, outside the door. It is worth the wait.”
