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By Ana A. Lima
Arizona Daily Wildcat
October 25, 1996
"It's busier than hell!," said Geronimoz' Restaurant General Manager Jack Silver. Sales skyrocket, more merchandise is ordered, and business owners enjoy the rush of people in and out of their stores, as students bring their parents and relatives to spend their money on and around campus on Family Weekend.The increase in sales for Arizona Images, 813 N. Park Ave., during Family Weekend is "sometimes 10 times the business of a regular day," said employee Natalie Meade.
Arizona Images has been providing its services to the university since 1984. For them, Family Weekend is one of the busiest times of the year.
"We do special order stuff for Family Weekend," Meade said. One of the most requested items are the "Arizona Mom" and "Arizona Dad" T-shirts, she said.
Debby Shively, UA Associated Bookstore merchandise manager, said "Arizona Mom" and "Arizona Dad" T-shirts are one of about 10 items the bookstore special orders for Family Weekend. Other items are UA sweatshirts and pants, and decals.
"On Family Weekend we do specials and the price is lower," Shively said.
The types of merchandise sold during Family Weekend depends on the weather and the number of people that attend the event, she said.
Family Weekend organizers have ordered 400 customized shirts, in addition to caps, mugs, yearbooks and photos especially for Family Weekend. So far, 225 shirts displaying the family weekend logo, 36 caps, 46 mugs, 89 family portraits, and 38 yearbooks have been ordered by parents.
However, UA paraphernalia is not all that is sold during Family Weekend.
For Michael Sattinger, owner of the Baskin-Robbins at 904 E. University Blvd., last year's figures were very pleasing. "We did really good," he said. Sales of ice cream cones, coffee and doughnuts jumped 25 percent to 30 percent. For Sattinger, Saturday was a fantastic day for sales during Family Weekend.
Sattinger admits that his business survives mainly on students. During Thanksgiving and Christmas break, business slows down. "We love it when there is a new event in the area," he said.
He expects his ice cream sales will not to be affected by the sudden cold weather that hit Tucson so close to Family Weekend.
For Geronimoz' Restaurant, 800 E. University Blvd., business doubles. The restaurant generally serves 300-400 people daily. During Family Weekend that number jumps to 700-800, Silver said.
Most of the business at the Park Student Center during Family Weekend comes from parents and relatives of students who live in the dormitories surrounding the west side of campus, said Jeffrey Strunin, a student employee at the Park Union.
The first night of Family Weekend is the slowest. "They're all out at the Olive Garden getting fed," he said.
"The kids get all jazzed. They like bringing parents in and showing where they eat," Strunin said.
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