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Tahoe City’s solid summer to end with a bang

Joanna Hartman
Sierra Sun
Joanna Hartman/Sierra SunMabel Morse and Kayla Pecanic buy snacks from Judy Bell at Truckee River Rafting on Thursday. The raft company has had a busy summer and looks forward to wrapping up the season with a nearly-booked Labor Day weekend.
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Hit up the ATM, grab your shopping list and put on your walking shoes because it’s time to stroll the streets for Tahoe City’s town-wide Labor Day sidewalk sale.

The Tahoe City Downtown Association is spearheading the efforts to make Tahoe City the happening spot this Labor Day by coordinating a weekend-long event. Stores will put out their sale items and showcase new merchandise, and the Beergardners will open for Guitar Shorty in the second-to-last concert as part of the music series at Commons Beach on Sunday beginning at 3 p.m.

Kelly Atchley, the executive administrator of the downtown association said the sidewalk event is an opportunity to get “everyone walking around downtown.”



The business association has worked to promote the community with events like the concert series, the farmers market and this weekend’s sidewalk soiree.

“We’re working real hard to make our town more appealing. All the little things add up,” said Don Fyfe, the owner of Alpenglow Sports.



As summer comes to a close with a holiday hoo-rah, restaurant, retail and other business owners reflected on this season’s returns.

“On top of being a fantastic summer, just living here, it was as smooth and profitable as any we’ve had,” said Dave Wilderotter, owner of Tahoe Dave’s Skis and Boards.

Local business owners agree that this season was a busy one and sales, so far, are generally up.

“The summer went well: nice turnaround, healthy growth.” said Fyfe.

Speculating on possible reasons business in Tahoe City has been steadily improving, Fyfe attributed the increase in visitors to local promotion and some national press. Also, he said, since the beginning of the year people seem more comfortable spending money on what they want.

Sales for Syd’s Bagelry are up 15 percent compared to last year, said Owner Dean Para, and 20 percent in the last four years.

“More and more people are coming to Tahoe City, and less and less businesses [are] operating in Tahoe City,” said Para. “The ones that are here are really reaping the benefits.”

The owner of Truckee River Rafting with Mountain Air Sports, Judy Bell, was also pleased with this summer’s traffic, and looks forward to a solid booking for the holiday weekend, as the water master is leaving flows up through Labor Day.

“We’ve had a good season; great water. [The numbers] are probably up,” Bell said.

The general consensus is that business in Tahoe City was lucrative, and it looks to keep getting better.

“The numbers are up and the hassles down,” Wilderotter said. “The outlook is great.”


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