In addition to lawn parties and relaxation, Green Key Weekend heralds increased business for local eateries, according to the establishments' owners and managers.
The weekend is similar to other big weekends at the College in that local businesses experience fairly dramatic increases in patronage, Everything But Anchovies owner Maureen Bogosian said.
EBAs is expecting a 35 percent increase in sales over the weekend, which is similar to the increase it experiences over Winter Carnival, Bogosian said. Much of the increase at the restaurant will be the result of increased late night patronage, she said .
"It's just a crazy busy weekend," she said. "It's focused on late night."
To prepare for this heightened late night scene, EBAs will be "extra staffed" over Green Key, Bogosian said.
Late night party packs consisting of pizza and breadsticks for sororities and fraternities as well as Saturday and Sunday brunches at EBAs are expected to be more popular over Green Key weekend, Bogosian said.
Owner of Murphy's on the Green and 3 Guys Basement Barbeque Nigel Leeming also said that the weekend typically sees "heightened" business. He said that Green Key weekends often involve a lot of old customers coming back to the restaurant and "a lot of high fives."
Because Murphy's on the Green is always busy and "staffed to the max" on weekends, there are no plans to make any additional preparations for Green Key, according to Leeming.
Leeming said, however, that restaurant patrons sometimes get "a little too festive" over Green Key weekend and have to be watched more vigilantly.
Morano Gelato owner Morgan Morano said that her store also experiences increased business over big weekends at the College. To prepare for the larger number of patrons, Morano always makes more gelato, she said.
"The town is much busier as a result," she said. "Any event at Dartmouth, I always make sure I make more gelato."
Molly's Restaurant and Bar also experiences increased business over Green Key weekend, director of public relations for Blue Sky Restaurant Group Jennifer Packard said.
All parents' weekends, holiday weekends and special activities yield increased business for the restaurant, according to Packard.
"Typically any event at Dartmouth College brings Molly's the potential of increased business," she said. "Molly's business ebbs and flows in terms of Dartmouth students' calendars."
In order to prepare for heightened business, the restaurant adds additional support staff as necessary "to make customers' and the guests' experience as best as possible," Packard said.
The amount of additional support staff depends on many factors, including the weather. Nicer weather means additional employees on duty because the patio needs to be staffed in addition to the indoor eating area, she said.
Local shops also have increased business during the course of Green Key weekend.
JuliAna Boutique store manager Debbie Holmes said that the store is busiest over Green Key weekend and parents' weekends.
"We usually have noticed great customer flow this weekend with the alumni coming to town," she said. "From past years' experiences, it's been great."
Although JuliAna is already extra staffed because it is going out of business, the store will bring in additional staff to prepare for the rush of Green Key weekend, Holmes said.
