FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla – A cold snap in Southwest Florida is impacting local businesses, especially food trucks at Times Square on Fort Myers Beach on Sunday.
The area, typically bustling with visitors enjoying the sun and sand, is experiencing a noticeable decline in foot traffic due to the chilly weather.
Temperatures have dropped into the 40s, causing many people to stay indoors. This has led some food trucks to close early or not open at all. Fred Malone, co-owner of The Buffalo Grill, described the situation.
“You have the on and off days. It’s very cold in Buffalo, and the bills didn’t make it to the Super Bowl. So I think that’s why it’s cold down here in Southwest Florida. But it’s definitely been slow. A lot of people down here just are staying indoors and they’re not coming out,” said Malone.
Malone highlighted the broader impact on the area’s businesses. Employees are losing work hours, and owners are facing income loss due to the lack of customers. On Saturday, Malone’s truck opened for only a few hours before deciding to close due to insufficient customer turnout.
“It’s not ideal to have to close down and not be open for business. So I mean, what makes it manageable, especially on Times Square, it’s not you just it’s a loss. You’re writing it off. You know, it hurts the employees because they can’t work. Hurts us because we can’t make any money, not just us. Every business here,” said Malone.
Business owners in Times Square are staying optimistic, cleaning and preparing for warmer days. They believe that once the sunshine returns, so will the crowds.
Dining and Cooking