Winter weather brings boost in business to Ellicottville

ELLICOTTVILLE, N.Y. (WIVB) — With many students on winter break this upcoming week, local ski resorts are expecting to be packed with families hitting the slopes.

This winter has been a dream for skiers and snowboarders in Ellicottville, along with business owners who have seen a boost in business.

“In terms of seasons, this one is probably top 10 I’d say in terms of winter and traffic and overall business,” said Spencer Timkey, owner of The Boardroom Snowboard Shop. “It’s just been a very great 12 weeks of winter.”

Timkey said the shop has seen a boost in business throughout the winter. They’re gearing up for an even busier week, with many families expected to flood the slopes.

“It’s going to be very cold,” Timkey said. “We’re getting lots of black face masks, gloves out, getting ready for kids that are off school.”

“I think a lot of people are going to be encouraged to get out here and enjoy what should be a really fun week on the slopes,” said Dash Hegeman, director of marketing at Holiday Valley Ski Resort. “We got some cold temps, but that’s what skiing and snowboarding is all about.”

The workers at Holiday Valley said this year’s season is “night and day” compared to last year and thanked Mother Nature for consistent snowstorms and cold temperatures.

“We’ve got a lot of great shops and restaurants and places to hang out downtown,” Hegeman said. “It’s great to be able to do our part to bring people into this area and then have them explore what the rest of this Western New York region has to offer.”

The favorable weather has resulted in more skiers and snowboarders showing up, resulting in more business for the area.

“We draw from such a large circle geographically. We have two premium resorts here in Holiday Valley and HoliMont and they’re coming to ski and snowboard and when they do that, they want to eat and they want to shop,” Timkey said. “To be able to provide them with a lot of great options, it just makes people much happier and more likely to keep visiting.”

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Sarah Minkewicz is an Emmy-nominated reporter and Buffalo native who has been a part of the News 4 team since 2019. Follow Sarah on Twitter @SarahMinkewicz and click here to see more of her work.

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