Local Businesses Ringing Up Sales For New Year’s

As the world readies to ring in 2015, many Central Coast businesses are ringing up big sales on New Year’s Eve.

“It’s always a big night, ” said Jean-Luc Garon, general manager of Historic Santa Maria Inn. “It’s always people coming, they’re well dressed, they want to have a nice memory of the past year, starting a good year.”

Garon says the iconic hotel located on Broadway in Santa Maria is expecting a good night, even though New Year’s Eve lands on a Wednesday this year.

“It’s not a sellout night, we’re about close to 60 percent, which is pretty good for New Year’s being in the middle of the week.”

Festivities at the hotel include a special 5-course meal in its Garden Room restaurant, plus live music and dancing in the Olde English Tap Room tavern.

Across the street at Shaw’s Steakhouse and Tavern, a busy night is expected.

“This place is going to be packed,” said manager Carl Betty. “Four o’clock all the way through our reservation sheet is full and we can’t take anymore reservations unless you’re coming in 8:45 or 9 o’clock.”

Betty says the restaurant served about 400 dinners last year and will match, if not exceed that amount this year.

“New Year’s Eve brings them out, everyone want to have a good steak, they want to have a great cocktail.”

A couple of miles away, at BevMo, the store opened an hour early to accommodate busy holiday sales.

“This is kind of like our Super Bowl, you can say, we look forward to this day, we prepare all year for this day,” said manager Shawn Cassidy.

Cassidy says the store will likely ring up between $15,000 to $20,000 in champagne sales alone. With more than 500 varieties of champagne and sparkling wine on the shelves, Cassidy expects to sell at least 3,000 bottles of bubbly.

“Champagne and sparkling just kind of goes with the New Year and it’s time for people to come and drink this time of year because it’s a special occasion.”

With sales bringing in big bucks, it’s a special day indeed for many local businesses, who undoubtedly are saying “Happy New Year!”