By Rebecca Bryer and Harper Coulson
During the first two weekends in October, Lexington residents were hard-pressed to find a parking spot on Main Street as the cars of Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee University parents lined the streets, igniting the bustle of local shops and restaurants.
In preparation for the two weekends, local businesses braced for the influx of college students and families.
More than 2,000 people registered in advance for Washington and Lee’s parents weekend, according to Lynn Fitch, manager of student affairs operations at Washington and Lee. Fitch reported that 153 families who hadn’t pre-registered also participated in the Oct. 4 weekend.
Attendance numbers were not available for VMI’s weekend, which was Oct. 11-12.
For businesses with limited capacity, such as the 22 hotels and 15 bed and breakfasts that are registered with the Lexington Chamber of Commerce, the weekends are an annual exercise in supply and demand.
“It’s really a challenge to… satisfy everybody that’s calling for rooms,” said George Moore, general manager of the Hampton Inn Col Alto.
The hotel makes all parents weekend bookings one year in advance of the date. After the rooms are placed on sale, they sell out in 35 to 40 minutes, according to Moore.
Moore said that increased demand in October, caused in part by the two parents weekends, results in a 10- to 15-percent increase in room rates at the Hampton Inn, a part of the Hilton family of hotels.
“Hilton has recognized our demand,” said Moore. Members of the Hilton Honors program accumulate points to stay at Hilton hotels throughout the country, including the Hampton Inn Col Alto. Even as preferred members, hotel guests pay a greater number of points to stay at one of the hotel’s 86 rooms during the entire month of October.
Although the rush of parents is a major revenue generator, it amplifies the pressure to satisfy students and their families.
“Absolutely every room has to be sellable,” said Moore. “There’s almost nowhere to send people if something is wrong with their room.”
“You gotta ramp it up” in preparation for college parents weekends, said John Roberts, owner of the Llewellyn Lodge on Main Street. He said rooms at his seven-room bed and breakfast are booked more than a year prior to each of the two annual parents weekends.
While high demand presents challenges, it also offers opportunities. Roberts said he believes these weekends are a chance to build relationships with parents of VMI and Washington and Lee students.
In anticipation of hosting parents this year, the 29-year bed and breakfast owner placed “additional amenities” in rooms, including chocolate from Cocoa Mill, to add a personal element to the lodge’s services. Roberts also runs fly-fishing trips for parents, and introduces weekend guests to local natural attractions such as Crabtree Falls and Cold Mountain.
Even after students graduate, parents “still come back around,” Roberts said.
The Lexington hospitality industry isn’t the only one facing an increase in business over VMI and W&L’s parents weekends. Securing a warm bed for the weekend may be the top priority, but parents want to treat their students or cadets to other amenities Lexington’s business community has to offer.
Lexington Coffee Shop owner Bryan Butterfield says that his and most other shops located in downtown Lexington experience a general uptick in sales during the two fall parents weekends.
“We love it when the parents come to town,” said Butterfield. “It’s fun to see the regular student customers bring their parents along on their routine morning coffee stop.”
Butterfield sees no issue with the longer lines that snake out of his shop on Washington Street during the busy season.
“Sure we get a little crowded in here sometimes, but we still provide the same service and great coffee to every customer that comes in the door,” he said.
After parents complete their campus tours, Q&A sessions and athletic events, some moms and dads work up a thirst for something a little stronger than the java brewed by Butterfield at Lexington Coffee Shop.
The owners of bars and restaurants love parents weekend because it means more sales volume of their products with the highest margins: beer, wine and liquor.
JT Slate, floor manager at Macado’s on Main Street, says that the restaurant’s sales soared in early October with students and their families bellying up to the bar.
“The staff gets really excited for parents weekend,” said Slate. “Managing definitely gets tougher when we get crowded, but the whole wait and bar staff loves the increase in tips, so that takes a little of the pressure off of me.”
As if the promise of a frosty brew or stiff bourbon weren’t tempting enough to draw crowds, Slate says that Macado’s has tried other methods to attract business on parents weekends.
“We can’t really mess with the prices of our drinks too much just because of the fact that we are a large, corporation-owned franchise,” Slate said. “So to change things up we’ll bring in live music or promote the football games that we’re showing on our big screen.”
Slate said this past W&L parents weekend, his bar hired a DJ to alter the ambience of the traditionally low-key bar and grill.
The challenge presented to Lexington business owners to adapt to increased demand during parents weekends is a small trade-off for the gains in revenue, reputation, and repeat business.