Hanover Inn general manager Joe Mellia said that rooms typically sell out for Green Key weekend and spring reunions. The hotel schedules its staff according to the number of rooms booked for a weekend and thus does not predict a problem operating at full occupancy, although some workers may be called in for extra shifts, he said.
Mellia said he hopes Dartmouth students and returning alumni will enjoy dining at Pine, which opened for dinner at the Hanover Inn in March and was part of its larger renovation process.
"Pine's been open for a month, and we've seen tremendous results from students, staff and community members," Mellia said. "We would anticipate that alumni coming in for Green Key would want to experience this new addition to Hanover and to the Hanover Inn."
Other Hanover eateries such as the Dirt Cowboy Cafe, Boloco and Everything But Anchovies are expecting an influx of costumers during Green Key as well, according the restaurants' representatives.
Acording to Boloco general manager Matt Taylor, sales will depend partially on the weather during the weekend, with better weather leading to more sales. He said that sales spike the most during Homecoming, but he expects Boloco to experience a sales increase of up to 50 percent over normal profit margins for the weekend's business.
At Everything But Anchovies, owner Maureen Bogosian said that sales could increase up to 40 percent. She said that this increase would be spread across the store's catering, delivery, pick-up and walk-in business.
"Spring at Dartmouth is our busiest season," Bogosian said.
The Dirt Cowboy Cafe expects a simiarly sized increase to its sales over Green Key, according to cafe owner Thomas Guerra.
"It's a phenomenal weekend for the Cafe," he said in an email. "We typically serve 50 percent more customers than other weekends."
Nigel Leeming, who owns Murphy's on the Green and 3 Guys Basement Barbecue, said both restaurants will see an uptick in customers over Green Key and longer dining hours.
"We already have a dinner wait, so it will just get longer," Leeming said of Murphy's. "Instead of 5:30 to 8:30 we might have 5 to 9:30."Leeming added that 3 Guys might see a greater increase in clientele than Murphy's due to its younger crowd.
Clothing stores in town like the Dartmouth Co-op and Traditionally Trendy expect strong sales on Dartmouth apparel over the weekend as well, representatives from those stores said.
Traditionally Trendy owner Rocio Menoscal said that her store could see a sales increase of up to 20 or 30 percent over Green Key weekend.
Green Key also marks the beginning of an increased spring sales period that includes graduation and reunions, Menoscal said. Popular items include Dartmouth logo apparel, diploma frames and other memorabilia, she said.
While Dartmouth Co-op owner Gene Kohn '60 said he could not provide an exact percentage of the store's projected sales increases, he said the Co-op would be expecting an uptick during Green Key and reunions. He said the store's highest demand weekends were in the fall, however, during Homecoming and weekends with football home games.
"There is no question that football weekends and Homecoming in particular are more important from a sales perspective than Green Key, but I certainly wouldn't want to trade," he said.
Store owners and managers did not expect any challenges in providing services or deliveries over the weekend, although Taylor said that Boloco does not make deliveries to Webster Avenue during the Friday of Green Key.
