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Even though many UCLA students are away from campus over the summer, Westwood businesses continue

Though UCLA’s crowds of students are gone for the summer, many Westwood store owners said the ones who stay for summer school, jobs and research are enough to keep business in the Village going strong.

“There’s a pretty decent population of college students, so Westwood isn’t completely abandoned,” said Phil Gabriel, owner of Scrubs Unlimited on Weyburn Avenue.

Gabriel added that this summer, more stores seem to have developed and adjusted their business strategies to withstand summer sales drops than they have in the past.

Some business owners say that the drop in sales during the summer happens annually and is an expected part of the Westwood economy.

“The lower sales is part of the business cycle,” said John Kim, owner of Boba Loca on Weyburn Avenue.

Businesses look not just at seasonal sales but at annual sales as a whole, and part of running a shop involves planning for anticipated drops in sales at certain points of the year, including the slight summer decline, he said.

Though the summer brings in less business than usual, he said the lessened sales are made up at the start of the school year, which brings an influx of students.

Kenny Lin, a third-year psychobiology student, said that for students who stay at UCLA year-round, Westwood is an important resource.

“I go down to Westwood whenever I need to buy new supplies for my room, especially since I can’t always go home to get stuff,” Lin said.

Still, some stores adjust their strategies to ensure continuing business during the summer.

Amileo Morales, owner of Marvin’s Diner on Weyburn Avenue, said his store has not suffered significantly since the beginning of summer, but has established store policies to maximize businesses, even when students are away for the summer.

Part of what has contributed to the diner’s success are its late-night hours, delivery service and inexpensive food options that attract low-budget college students, he said.

“Students generally don’t have that much money, and just as they go to In-N-Out because it’s not too expensive there, they come here for the low-cost food,” Morales said.

The diner closes between midnight and 1 a.m. daily, and it also delivers to nearby addresses for those who do not want to make the walk to the restaurant.

Other stores try to cater to the non-student population so their clientele does not disappear when the school year ends.

Marvin’s Diner draws in many non-students, including hospital employees, who work and live in Westwood regardless of the academic calendar, Morales said.

But Timothy Almazan, a third-year English student, said he thinks students will continue to frequent Westwood businesses for fun.

“Westwood is always great to visit because there are restaurants with good food within walking distance,” Almazan said.

Gabriel said he also thinks Westwood does not lose its college- town atmosphere even during the summer when fewer students are around.

“It’s a college town year-round. This is home for a lot of people,” Gabriel said.