Most DeKalb businesses frequented by NIU students during the school year experience a decline in sales during the summer months, according to the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber of Commerce President Joe Green said DeKalb sees a definite downturn of sales during the summer months.

“Losses vary from merchant to merchant, depending on the type of business,” he said. “But as a whole, DeKalb is affected, because the students do spend a lot of money at the area businesses.”

Bob Daniels, owner of Otto’s, 118 E. Lincoln Hwy., said his business fluctuates in the summer, but they still provide the same entertainment as they do the rest of the year.

“We keep the same drink specials and visiting bands during the summer,” he said. “If we didn’t, it wouldn’t be fair to the students who do stay in DeKalb, not to mention the locals of DeKalb who are a big part of my business.”

Daniels said the Illinois happy hour law keeps him from having other specials which would drum up business in the summer months.

Dawn Prosser, Subway manager, 162 W. Lincoln Hwy., said they accommodate their decline in business by shortening their hours and running summer daily specials.

“The specials we run during the summer are local promotions because we operate in a college town and we have to compensate for the summer loss of students,” she said. “But we also do it to let the townspeople know that we haven’t forgotten them.”

Paul Coyle, Campus Cinemas manager, 1015 Blackhawk Dr., just took over in January, but he said he does expect to feel a loss in business when the mass of students leave town.

“We will offer five show times daily, seven days a week, in hopes that the grade school and high school children will make up the difference,” he said.

Sam Amayri, owner of McCabe’s Night Club, 323 E. Lincoln Hwy., said he thinks almost every business feels the effects of lost business during the summer.

“My business really depends on the student population,” he said. “Whether business is good during the summer or not goes hand-in-hand with the summer enrollment at NIU.”