Tourists as well as local sun worshipers flock to the beach at Caddy’s Waterfront restaurant on Treasure Island. Usual Mondays are slow and without a need for a cocktail waitress on the beach, but on this Monday, Caddy’s servers are busy.
The week after Christmas. Businesses eke by while workers vacation. Governments grind to a halt. No juries fill courtrooms.
Joe Adams, 47, sat in front of the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse in downtown Tampa Monday and by 2 p.m. had collected only a dollar — rather than his usual $30 — for the ornamental roses and crosses he makes out of sago palms.
"Always during Christmas, it slows down," he said. "This week right now, ain't nothing here."
But thanks to all those on vacation, other businesses, such as aquariums, movie theaters and beach restaurants, bustle between Christmas and New Year's.
"We've been packed," said Alison Herman, 40, who owns both Larry's Ice Cream and Gelato and Twistee Treat on St. Pete Beach with her parents. "We've had a line of 20 people out the door."
The Florida Aquarium also drew more visitors than last week, a late present for the tourist attraction, which is experiencing a down quarter because of the economy, spokesman Tom Wagner said.
And then there are some businesses that thrive when you least expect it.
"We're totally booked up today and tomorrow," said Nadalie Brattlof, owner of C C's Boutique, a bridal gown store in St. Petersburg. "We have a waiting list, which is amazing for a Tuesday."
The brides, you see, they just got engaged. Fifteen of them showed up Monday for appointments to look for gowns. Another 10 are scheduled for today
One woman, who got engaged over the weekend, bought her gown on Monday. She isn't getting married until 2010.
But downtowns dragged. And courthouses were open, but quieter.
At the Pinellas Criminal Courthouse in Largo, 451 hearings were scheduled, compared with the usual 600 to 700 on a Monday docket.
"A lot of what we do is scheduled by attorneys, and they tend to schedule their time off around the holidays so there's not as much business," said Ron Stuart, a spokesman for the 6th Judicial Circuit.
In the Tampa courthouse, judges in all divisions were busy, court administrator Mike Bridenback said. No trials were scheduled because courts — as a policy — do not summon potential jurors to jury pools the week before and after Christmas.
Brianne Wade, front desk secretary for Advanced Dental Care in Tampa, said her office has seen more patients than the week before Christmas.
But it's still much slower than usual, so she spends her time calling patients to see if they need to schedule a cleaning or checkup — perhaps because of one too many holiday sweets.
"Try to call more and get them in here," she said.
Times staff writer Janet Zink contributed to this report.
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