The Summer Shift: How Fountain Hills businesses adapt and thrive during the summer season

Like many of us, being a small business owner during the pandemic was a daily exercise in resilience. When a business struggles, marketing is often one of the very first budget items that gets axed—which is exactly why I watched 90% of my client base vanish almost overnight. I seriously considered closing my doors and going back onto someone’s payroll. Had it not been for the Chamber and Betsy LaVoie’s Survive Today, Thrive Tomorrow campaign, I would have.

I’ve said this many times before: I don’t think she slept during those months. She was fiercely determined that no local businesses would close on “her watch.” When I looked around and saw how hard she was fighting for people like me, and how our business community was rallying together, it gave me the motivation to hang in there. How could I quit when everyone was working so hard on my behalf?

While those days have long passed (thank goodness), Fountain Hills still undergoes a smaller version of this economic drought every single summer.

As the thermometer climbs, our town undergoes a distinct transformation. Because nearly 25% of our total housing stock is designated for seasonal or occasional use, the departure of our snowbird population means local consumer traffic shrinks dramatically between May and September. For tourist- and foot-traffic-sensitive industries, summer revenues historically dip anywhere from 30% to 50% compared to the spring peaks.

But as we learned a few years ago, our business community doesn't just wait out the dry spell passively — or throw in the towel. Survival takes strategy. I caught up with three local leaders to see exactly how they approach the summer shift. 

Community Connection Over Cost-Cutting: The Chamber Perspective

For Chamber President and CEO Betsy LaVoie, summer isn't a time for businesses to go dark or hit pause on their outreach. In fact, it is the exact opposite. Navigating these dry spells is something the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce has specialized in for more than 50 years, anchoring our local business community with a level of active support that rivals chambers in cities five times our size.

"We keep local foot traffic moving in the summer by staying active and visible through Chamber events like Brew with Betsy, State of the Chamber FHConnect breakfast and other member networking opportunities,” she said. “These touch points help keep business engaged.”

Betsy said networking mixers in June and three each in August, September keep businesses engaged during the seasonal dip. “Our social posts remind people to shop, dine, and connect locally all season long,” she said.

She added that almost all Chamber events are open to nonmembers as well as a guest of a member. Members receive a member discount for paid registration events like the FHConnect breakfast. 

People-First Asset Management: Phil’s Filling Station Grill

If you want to understand how to weather a desert summer, you look to a staple that has done it successfully for decades. Phil Rodakis, owner of Phil's Filling Station, has built a local institution downtown by understanding the town’s unique seasonal timeline. For 29 years, Phil's has served as a central gathering place for Fountain Hills residents, but keeping a hometown diner thriving for nearly thirty years requires a master class in cash-flow management. 

Phil and I originally sat down together several years ago when the Town asked me to write a blog post about his interesting display of Coca Cola memorabilia. We chatted for a while after the interview, which is when he shared his strategy for keeping his work family intact during the slow months.

When his famous winter car shows wrap up in May, Phil executes a master class in cash-flow management. Rather than reducing expenses by cutting hours or laying off employees when traffic drops, Phil budgets meticulously during the peak winter surge to build a cash reserve specifically designated to sustain his workforce through July and August.

By prioritizing his team’s financial stability during the lean months, Phil protects the operational consistency of his restaurant. When the busy fall season returns, his experienced staff is intact, loyal, and ready to hit the ground running.

That’s not just great news for his staff who depend on the income, it’s also a welcome treat for regulars like my parents, who look forward to seeing their favorite server each time they visit.

Rewarding the Year-Round Regulars: EuroPizza Cafe

At EuroPizza Cafe, Merita approaches the summer months not as a liability, but as an opportunity to say thank you to the full-time residents who anchor the town year-round.

Instead of operating defensively, EuroPizza designs specialized, value-driven summertime specials created specifically for local residents. This summer she’s added Slice, an online ordering app, to her website. And those who order “to go” receive half off their bill when they add a bottle of wine or 6-pack of beer.

This strategy flips the low-season narrative on its head. By offering exclusive menu perks when the dining room is quieter, Merita transforms the summer months into a dedicated local appreciation period. It gives full-time residents a compelling reason to eat out locally, ensuring steady restaurant traffic even when the snowbird plates have gone cold.

“Why wouldn’t we treat our year-round residents like family?” she said with a smile. “EuroPizza wouldn’t be the success it is today without their loyalty, and our summer specials are just our way of saying thank you for keeping our doors open and our tables full.”

The Trifecta of Local Resilience

As a small business owner myself, I know firsthand the weight of navigating a seasonal economy. When revenues experience such a predictable, sharp drop, survival requires more than just crossing your fingers until October.

It demands a trifecta of mutual support:

1. Creative Business Practices: Adaptations like Phil’s year-round financial forecasting to protect his team, or Merita’s exclusive summertime specials designed to thank our regulars.

2. A Proactive Chamber of Commerce: Strategic leadership from Betsy and her team to keep local business owners connected, visible, and supported when foot traffic thins out.

3. A Supportive Community: Residents who actively value our locally owned workforce and make the deliberate choice to invest their dollars right here at home.

Our local businesses carry us through the busy seasons. Let’s carry them through the summer. Shop local. Eat local. Support local.