Some Businesses Stay Open Despite Closures Throughout F-M Area

Stores in the malls were given the option of whether they wanted to stay open or close early

Many businesses closed because of the storm, but some decided to stay open.

The West Acres Mall closed early at 2 p.m., and the Moorhead Center Mall shut their doors at 5 p.m.

Stores were given the option of whether or not they wanted to stay open earlier day. Some stayed open based on corporate decisions, but other local store owners say the storm isn’t anything new to them.

“It’s Minnesota, of course we’re going to have days like this so can’t let it stop us. I was able to make it here, and I’m just keeping an eye on the weather. I have appointments on my book too so I got to cut the people I made appointments with,” Brendan LaFrance, owner of Tailor Made Barber Studio, said.

He says he did have some no–shows, but some customers even came in on a walk–in basis.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time and been through a lot of blizzards and people always want to come get their hair cut,” he said.

Another shop in the Moorhead Center Mall also saw a steady stream of customers.

“Kind of easy for me, I base it on the city, city’s going to be open since they’re in the mall, I figure I might as well be open. Plus I cooked food the night before. I had to come in anyway,” Jacey Henrichs, owner of Jay’s Smokin’ BBQ, said.

Hotel managers in the F–M area say they haven’t seen too much change in the number of guests.

“There hasn’t been a lot of traffic, we had a few people stay over an extra night with the weather, we’ve had a few reservations come in. The roads are still open so I think it depends on what happens later,” Bruce McGavin, general manager of Kelly’s Inn on 13th Avenue, said.

“It’s been iffy but most people are from here and it’s just another day, it’s just snow,” Henrichs said.

“When they predict a storm a couple of days out I think people make up their minds on what they’re going to do already,” McGavin said.

“It is what it is, we live here,” Henrichs said.

Store owners say the holidays and the Rumble on the Red wrestling tournament at the Fargodome have brought in some more customers.