Shops tell of lingering oil spill impacts

William “Boog” Cram, Ohana Surf and Skate, Galveston, Texas

How are things this holiday for you?

Historically speaking we are up to par, this week we are ever so slightly up. Retail on the island overall has been down 20% over the last two quarters and beyond. Local numbers started to show a very small, maybe 3% increase. So overall we are probably 17% behind. Restaurants and bars have fared a bit better. Since people are staying closer to home.

What’s selling?

We are mostly selling hardgoods: wetsuits, surfboards, skateboards, and shop tees and clothing from O’Neill, Volcom, Billabong and Hurley.

How has the spill affected you guys?

We as Gulf residents will be affected for many years because we still don’t know what the repercussions of the hydrocarbons that have settled on coral heads at deeper depths.

I have a lot of NOA and marine biologists friends who come in and these are the things that are table talk for us. For us, it’s more of an environmental concern than how it affects business.

We in Galveston weren’t ever affected with tar balls and oil on our beaches and we have been through hurricanes so we can rebound, but our biggest questions Mother Nature will have to answer that for us.