Seasonal businesses face pressure to keep doors open longer
Imagine working hard in your business for 12 weeks and then having to do nothing for the rest of the year.
The reality of running a seasonal business is a lot less rosy, with many owners having to supplement their income with other jobs, while others have plenty of ”off-season” work to ensure they maximise their profits during the short window when the cash registers are ticking over.
In Jindabyne – a town near the NSW snowfields long associated with seasonal businesses – Gordon Jenkinson, principal of First National Real Estate Kosciusko and longtime member of the local chamber of commerce, said that many business owners have given up on the seasonal model, as they grapple with the increasing cost of real estate and competition of business, and the town transitions to a year-round economy.
“Jindabyne is a 12-month town, it’s not a seasonal town anymore. Even up in the mountains, Thredbo and Perisher are trying to turn themselves into 12-month towns,” he said.
“As mountain biking and fishing gain popularity, there’s more happening in the summer now, it’s making it more viable to operate in summer.”
Despite acknowledging that the majority of business turnover still took place in winter, Mr Jenkinson said fewer businesses opted for the seasonal model, as dealing with seasonal workers and high rents often proved too problematic.
“A decade ago there were probably 20 ski shops and most would close down over summer, now the competition has got really tight. There’s less winter-focused stores like ski shops and there’s now only a few who shutdown, most operate 12 months a year,” he said.
“You’re still incurring costs even when you’re closed. The cost of renting a premises won’t change whether it’s six or 12 months, so more and more people are trying to run a permanent business and permanent staff.”
But owners of businesses that do only operate during a set number of months say there are benefits that they wouldn’t get running a regular business, or working in an office.
Robyn Waddell owns Mountain Air Gifts, two gift stores the operate during the winter season in the NSW Snowy Mountains resorts of Smiggin Holes and Perisher.
She bought the first shop in Smiggins about 15 years ago to supplement the family’s year-round income, later adding the Perisher shop.
The Perisher Mountain Air Gifts that is only open during winter. Photo: Supplied
“It was something to do over winter. Our pest control business was very good over summer, but it used to die right off over winter. None of the builders would work over winter so the business has dropped off,” she said.
She spends little time on the shops during the off season, other than three days buying stock at the Sydney Gift Fair, but said that the income generated from those busy months wouldn’t be enough to sustain her year round, even if she were living on her own.
Instead it’s gone some way to funding extracurricular activities for her two sons – who have both achieved acclaim in snow sports – and making the amount of summer work she does have to do considerably less taxing.
“It goes a decent way, it helps with the kids and their skiing and basically it gives me a full-time job over winter.”
In summer she spends the odd couple of days each week assisting husband Larry with the pest control business.
That’s a stark contrast to the winter months, where Robyn can work from 50-60 hours a week.
Robyn spends minimal effort restocking the store over the summer months. Photo: Supplied
“I work really hard over winter. I don’t ski, so I don’t care about missing out on the snow. But then in summer I can do things I like, like riding my horses.”
It’s a similar story away from the slopes.
Robert Martin and his family have been running Martin’s Orchard on the NSW south coast for 35 years.
The orchard manager works 12 months a year, despite the selling season being primarily in the summer months when they operate a roadside stall on the Princes Highway, halfway between Nowra and Ulladulla.
Robert Martin employs casual workers over the summer to help pick and pack fruit. Photo: Jo O’Dowd
Summer is tough work for Robert and his team of casuals. They pick and pack the fruit which they sell to holidaying families making their way to the coast.
“The days are quite long, I’m doing 12-13 hour days in the summer, starting around six and finishing around six,” he said.
And it’s not like the work is in an airconditioned office.
“It was 43 degrees one day and everyone felt it that day, everyone felt it. It was a bit of a rough day.”
The income from the fruit – which is also distributed to local restaurants in Ulladulla, Berry and Milton, is enough to sustain Rob, and business shows no sign of slowing down.
During the off season Robert maintains the orchard to ensure next year’s crop is successful.
“It’s basically the only work I do, it keeps me going for 12 months a year, the rest of the year is getting the trees ready for harvest again, planting trees, pruning repairing nets.
“Winter is a bit more relaxed, not as time critical,” he said.
“As with most occupations you don’t make a million dollars, but the lifestyle is good, you can be flexible with your hours in the off season. You can enjoy a rural lifestyle, you make a living, but I’m not driving round in a Ferrari. You do it for lifestyle,” he said.
