The proximity of a business to campus can determine its fate during the dead summer months.

Stores such as EB Games, 2389 Sycamore Road; Dairy Queen, 1780 Sycamore Road; and Borders, 2520 Sycamore Road said when the college students move out for the summer, an influx of local customers take their place.

Julie Morsch, manager of Borders, said the students studying in the café were missed but the store’s profits were unaffected.

The story is different for other local businesses.

Employee Nicole Lockwood of Hair Cuttery, 811 W. Lincoln Highway, said the store’s customers decrease by about 50 percent and the profits decrease about 25 percent. The Hair Cuttery only made about $400 a week during the summer.

Derek Nayden, general manager for Molly’s Eatery, 1022 W. Lincoln Highway, said his hours stay the same but the staff is cut in half and the supplies are proportionally low with the lower amount of customers.

“We make two to three times more during the school year,” Nayden said.

Local restaurants suffer just as much if not more.

Manager Mary McNeal Shelley’s Restaurant, 901 Lucinda Ave, said she sat for four to five hours on a summer day waiting for a single customer to come in.

Shelly’s only made about a $900 profit on June 15, but made more than $2,000 on Sept. 11.

“On a summer day, we only get about 30 to 50 customers,” McNeal said. “We closed down early a lot.”

During the dead summer months, Shelly’s cuts its 20 cashiers to one, 10 drivers to two drivers, 14-hour weekdays to six hours and supplies are cut in half, she said.

To try to pick up business, Shelly’s hands out flyers around campus and offers coupons for free smoothies and shakes.

However, some businesses do not cut back at all in spite of the dead months.

Rob Molina, manager of LA Tan and Dollar Video, both at 1127 W. Lincoln Highway, said the stores do not cut hours or staff because it does not want to eliminate any potential business.

LA Tan only made about $150 a day in July, but stuck through the summer months and made more than $375 a day in September, Molina said.