SpaceX launch sparks business boom on South Padre Island
As more and more SpaceX launches happen, businesses over at South Padre Island are reaping the benefits.
Local businesses on the Island are counting on visitors to trickle into their doors.
"From August to around mid-November, beginning to December, we have our slowest time of the year just before our winter Texans get here," Longboard Bar and Grill General Manager Angel Albino said.
Albino says SpaceX test flight days help offset revenue during the down tick.
"You see an increase of about 10 to 15 percent of our sales every time they do a launch, it does help a lot," Albino said.
That's why Albino says longboard hosts a watch party for each launch. Something the Art Lounge is also doing to help increase foot traffic and bring people closer.
"I hope every experience in life brings people together, we have so much dividing us right now," Art Lounge Owner Shelly Hamsa said.
Hamsa says on a launch day, the art gallery may make more than an entire month's profit.
"On launch days, sometimes it's just one or two pieces, but it's our big pieces, you know, a $10,000 and a $6,000 piece. So on one day, we may make $16,000 versus 81 sales in a month that may be $12,000," Hamsa said.
For more information on the watch parties, click on the links down below.