WAKULLA COUNTY, FL (WTXL) — Labor Day weekend is giving Wakulla County small businesses one last major boost before the slower season sets in, and local owners and managers say that support makes a real difference for the months ahead.
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Wakulla's coastline draws fishermen, boaters, and visitors to areas like St. Marks and Panacea.
Kailey Turner, manager of the Salty Donkey in Panacea, said that Labor Day weekend is one of the most important of the year for the business.
"It's what's going to be able to kind of carry us through the slow season. We always say that this weekend is our last big weekend before wintertime hits, school is hit, and everything like that," Turner said.
Turner described just how busy the weekend gets.
"Crazy. Very packed full. Everybody's either going out on the water and they're going to come in and get a drink before they go, or everybody's coming back from the water and they are ready to have some dinner before they go home," Turner said.
The Salty Donkey says the entire weekend is busy, with Saturday, Sunday, and Monday being the biggest days. The holiday also brings visitors who have never been to Panacea before, which helps the broader community as well.
John Hines, owner of the Sweet Magnolia Inn in St. Marks, said the natural scenery is a major draw for visitors.
"And then from the point where the two rivers meet, you go out four miles and you're in the Gulf, and there's the St. Mark's sandbar out there, which we've went out to numerous times, and it's beautiful. A lot of times, the water is very clear, so you can do snorkeling," Hines said.
Hines also spoke to the broader importance of community support for small businesses.
"Local support for a lot of the small businesses, is their bread and butter. I mean, it is what they survive on, you know," Hines said.
Whether it is restaurants or lodging, local businesses are encouraging residents and visitors to continue supporting them all year round.
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