MEDFORD, Ore. — A rainy forecast today is just part of a rainy season that is making business for some retailers, and taking business from another.
A visit to Medford’s Lowe’s home improvement store shows it set out sump pumps by the pallets near its checkout registers this week, and they are selling.
Blackbird’s Ace Hardware says today its business is up because of rain coming down.
“Bad weather is good for business, so the rain that’s been dumping down in the Valley and the snow that’s been dumping in the mountains is have been very good for us,” said Medford Blackbird store manager Tyler Quitt. “Sales have been exponentially higher than traditionally.”
For example, “In our rain gear assortment we order in a season usually at a time. We sold through that, reordered rain gear, sold through that, reordered again, and now we’re just down to a few rounders and displays of our rain gear,” said Quitt. “So, it’s been good for business.”
Happy’s Drive-thru Car Wash is closed temporarily after trapped rain caused part of its upper structure to give way. The new business opened four months ago in a building with four walls lining the rooftop for signage. They seemed to also work as a pool, until the east wall gave way to the water.
Happy’s had its contractor on site today within 24 hours to determine if the building, which otherwise appeared intact, could reopen for business soon after the rain caused a splash outside the building.
This winter’s rainy weather is creating demand for more than rain gear and sump pumps.
Jerry Howard is the director of community outreach at NewsWatch 12. You can reach Jerry at jerryhoward@kdrv.com.