As Homecoming crowds flood into Hanover this weekend, local businesses will be focusing their efforts on accommodating the influx of alumni, parents and high-rolling students.
Stinson's Convenience Store is already preparing for the likely increase of sales of a few specific products this weekend.
"I'm not going to say we sell more beer -- that would sound bad," owner Jack Stinson said.
However, Stinson's is definitely taking steps to ensure that it won't run dry over the weekend.
"We have this thing built, just for Homecoming, some kid called it 'The Big Green.' It's full of 30 packs of beer. We started painting it green today," Stinson said. "A lot of alumni come back and remember... And that's when they start buying the beer. Homecoming is a good, healthy event."
In response to the size of 'The Big Green' cooler, Stinson said, "Except for the Keystone, [it holds] all 30-packs in the store. We wanted to open the store up: it's a small store. We wanted to see from the back of the store like you could in the early 80s... We had to lose a five-door cooler, so we had an idea to separate the big bulky items, and we built a homemade beer cooler. The idea was to get a cooler that would get all the deals, and to get the deals we had to buy enough -- it fits right in there."
Also commenting on the effects his store has on the College, Stinson said, "I don't want to associate Big Green drinking with Dartmouth College -- that wouldn't be cool. That would be the wrong message. I don't think the College drinks more than it usually does, the alumni come back and spur on... It's another 5,000 people in town, and all are of age."
The Hanover Inn, a popular overnight spot, is also gearing up for more guests, changing their business aims more towards alumni than usual.
"There will be numerous special preparations, not just for alumni, but generally focused around them," Richard DuMez, an Administrative Director at the Inn, said.
However, the famed Hanover Inn is not limiting their resources to alumni in general.
"The trustees will also be in here, and stay here [at the Inn]," DuMez said. "They will have meetings here, and we will host them in our restaurants."
Some smaller reunions among individual classes are scheduled to meet at the Inn as well.
"It is a very exciting and busy weekend for us," DuMez said, "We gear up with as many staff as possible."
The biggest event for the Hanover Inn is catering for the 1769 Society at the Top of the Hop after the bonfire on Friday night.
The Dartmouth Co-op is also preparing for increased sales. They are planning on having a larger stock available, as well as being open longer than usual.
Lou's Diner is going to staff about double the employees as usual, and managers said they expect large crowds. A stand in front of the restaurant will be selling coffee and pastries in the morning outside, as well as sandwiches in the afternoon, employees said.
Another local restaurant, Everything But Anchovies, will be catering both the hockey game and the football game during Homecoming.