Economic Boost for Alpena from the Brown Trout Festival

Halfway through the Brown Trout Festival, businesses downtown are reaping the benefits of extra tourists in town.

A rush of customers are in Alpena, enjoying this week’s festivities and spending their money downtown and the businesses there aren’t complaining. “A lot of people are staying in various locations, not just downtown, but all around,” said Adam Poll, president of the Alpena Chamber of Commerce. “Overall, a lot of people have come and are able to spend some money here, but more importantly, they get to see Alpena, enjoy it for themselves, and hopefully come back.”

For ice cream shop, Downtown Scoops, there’s a noticeable change when the brown trout festival begins. “The instant it starts, the foot traffic increases,” said Aaron Buza, owner of Downtown Scoops. “You see customers eating at different restaurants, going in and out of the shops, they’re stopping here of course.”

This time of the year is when these businesses see the most customers, and that goes a long way when it comes to the less busy winter months. “Our summers are shorter than we’d like,” said Poll. “Obviously, people from downstate want to come up when it’s beautiful outside, like it is today, so it is important to have these festivals and extra events as opposed to just the fourth of July which happens every year for all over.”

Downtown businesses were also benefitted by the festival of sail and art on the bay.