Ventura Merchants Cashing In on Local Students’ Spring Fling

Unfazed at the prospect of scholar-sunbathers out on a spree, seaside merchants in Ventura County Monday bid welcome to spring break.

The reason:

Vacationing college students double and triple the merchants’ income and signal the beginning of their busy season.

“We look forward to spring break,” said Dorothy Miller, who owns the Bikini Shack, a shop two blocks from the beach in the Pierpont area of Ventura.

Her business has doubled since the spring intermission began on Friday, Miller said. Fringed bikini bottoms are popular with girls this year, she said.

Boys too, presumably.

By 2 p.m. about 300 people had wandered through the Village Kite and Toy store in Ventura Harbor, employee Ed Back said. On most weekdays it gets three or four at a time.

“It’s an incredible difference,” Back said. “It’s like I can’t get my work done.”

At Charlie’s Seaside Cafe and Restaurant, which sits near the San Buenaventura State Beach, about 25% more customers are expected to order breakfast, lunch and dinner this week, Assistant Manager Traci Hook said.

“There’s a lot of activity out on the beach, a lot more movement and sunbathers,” Hook said.

The county’s miles of beaches have not yet joined Palm Springs and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., as meccas for collegians. Most of the beach-goers are from Ventura County.

There were some exceptions, including Scott Harris, 20, and Anthony Silva, 20, who were motoring to Palm Springs when their car broke down.

The adaptable Cal Poly San Luis Obispo sophomores peeled off their shirts, grabbed two drinks from their seven cases of beer and settled onto the beach.

“This week is for girls, beer and fun,” Silva said.

Eight freshmen from Cal State Northridge continued a three-year tradition by camping at McGrath State Beach in Oxnard.

“You don’t have to fight with smog,” said Anthony Granato, 18, of Westlake Village. “It’s quiet and peaceful, unlike Palm Springs.”

That is not to say that Ventura’s spring break is without problems.

In the three days since schools let out for vacation, rangers at state campgrounds between Oxnard and Carpinteria have received complaints that youths are disturbing the peace, said Andy Zilke, a supervising ranger. Six groups of about eight people each had been evicted from campsites by Monday morning.

“They just got a little carried away,” Zilke said of one group of roisterers that critics said were swearing, throwing beer cans and relieving themselves publicly.

Campgrounds throughout the county, which can hold about 4,000 people, are almost all full.

Zilke said about 20% of the campers are unsupervised students between 18 and 25 years who are searching for the typical spring break.

“We’re full to the brim,” Zilke said. “The weather seems to be very conducive to a pre-summer fling.”

Authorities added eight lifeguards to the area’s beaches, bringing the total to 10, in anticipation of big crowds and out-of-shape students mixing suds and surf.

So far, the ocean has been calm. Lifeguards have rescued one person caught in a riptide and treated three minor injuries.

“There are hardly any waves, and the rip currents are really small,” said lifeguard Jon Silver, 29, glancing at the bodies baking around him. “It’s a real good day to break them in for spring vacation.”