Businesses all-in or all-out for Cruise

For retailers along Woodward, the Dream Cruise is a mixed bag.

Bars, restaurants and gas stations enjoy a welcome spike in business, thanks to hundreds of thousands of visitors. But for those that don't sell food, drink and fuel, the annual homage to classic cars is more like a nightmare, as crowds and cars keep customers away.

Some businesses peddling goods that cruisers demand say that the Saturday of the Dream Cruise is the most important day of their retail calendar, with gangbuster sales all week.

"This is Christmas, New Year's, Fourth of July and Thanksgiving all rolled into one," said Susan Cobb, president of Hunter House Hamburgers in Birmingham.

The quick-serve restaurant sold a record 30,000 burgers during Dream Cruise week last year. As of Thursday morning, Hunter House was 30 percent ahead of last year's numbers, Cobb said.

But other businesses -- salons, doctor's offices and specialty retailers -- close for the day because regular clients can't cut through the traffic and it doesn't make sense to pay idle workers.

"It's definitely a mix," said Jennifer Roosenberg, executive director of the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce, "depending on the type of business and how creative they might get."

Many businesses embrace the opportunity to promote themselves, distributing coupons and other incentives to thousands of passersby. The Cruise boosts Ferndale's reputation, letting visitors know what the city has to offer, Roosenberg said.

But unless it's for food or drink, many cruisers are loathe to open their wallets.

"No one's shopping that day," said John Rose, owner of Rose Frame Shop in Ferndale, which will be closed Saturday. "No one's buying anything -- at least not from a store like this."

Businesses new to the Woodward corridor are excited to make their Cruise debut.

Joe Hajjar, a co-owner of ml, which sells imported beer, liquor and wine in Birmingham, hopes that at least one of the 76,000 types of alcohol he sells will appeal to cruiser passersby of legal drinking age. The store, between 14 Mile and 15 Mile, will also sell water and snacks.

"Always the first year is trial and error," Hajjar said.

Ice cream and bakery treat dreams! opened last Friday and plans to capitalize on its location at the Cruise finish line near Nine Mile at Woodward, said baker Peter Gahan. Cars will be idling in front of the store's sidewalk café

"It's America -- ice cream, cupcakes," Gahan said. "And nothing's more American than the Dream Cruise."

Many businesses hope that even if cruisers have no immediate need for a reupholstered chair or a shirt emblazoned with their corporate logo, they'll remember those Woodward establishments when they are in need.

"It's all about publicity," said Wayne Teper, owner of Hilton Upholstery in Ferndale. Though Teper doesn't expect to sell any furniture covers Saturday, he keeps his store open to let cruisers use the bathroom and escape the heat.

For Craig Backus, owner of EmbroidMe, which monograms and embroiders promotional materials and company logos, Dream Cruise presents a once-in-a-year opportunity.

The Birmingham store and its neighbor, AutoZone Hobbies, will offer hot dogs and free drinks in their parking lot just north of 14 Mile.

"When else are you going to get 50,000 to 100,000 people walking by your store?" Backus said.

"I'm not necessarily looking to make a lot of sales on Dream Cruise day, but my hope is exposure, that they'll pick up a business card and come back later," he said.

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