OJAI : Merchants Cash In on Tennis Tournament

As the 1,600 competitors in the Ojai Valley tennis tournament adjust their racket strings and stretch their muscles in anticipation of weekend matches, local merchants are warming up for their own kind of competition.

Cashing in on tourist sales.

“It’s not a poor man’s sport,” said Ojai Ice Cream owner Doug Rydbeck, whose small downtown store was crammed with players and spectators Thursday, the first day of the four-day event.

“It’s twice as busy,” he said. “Because the whole enclave is across the street, it’s good for the downtown merchants.”

In its 95th year, “The Ojai,” as it is commonly known, is the oldest amateur tennis tournament in the country. It is also a major source of tourist-generated income for local businesses.

Rydbeck and other merchants in Ojai’s arcade shopping area rely on the hordes of visitors who wander from Libbey Park’s tennis courts to their nearby food and clothes shops.

“It makes us happy,” said Andrea Bloom, owner of Tottenham Court Ltd., an English tea room and boutique. Bloom said her business sales increase about 20% during events like the tennis tournament and Ojai Music Festival.

Margaret Westrom, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, said that much of Ojai’s tourist base is generated by these events.

“What’s so positive about it for our businesses is (visitors) see Ojai and come back,” she said.

Ojai City Manager Andrew Belknap agreed.

“Ojai relies on a fairly large degree on visitor revenue,” he said. “This event and other events are a part of that. It does shape the economy here.”

While the GTE West Classic golf tournament is the largest event in Ojai, the tennis tournament lures more people into downtown stores because of its central location in Libbey Park, Belknap said.

Ojai Cafe Emporium owner Barbara McCarthy, whose restaurant is only a backhand shot away from the park, was scrambling Thursday to open a new addition to her establishment before the tennis crowds disappeared.

Her breakfast muffins and fresh-squeezed orange juice were popular with the health-conscious players who frequented her establishment throughout the day.

“It definitely has added to our customer base,” McCarthy said of the tournament. “They’re a muffin bunch.”

The increase in visitors typically causes a rise in traffic congestion, and this year’s event was no exception.

Two road projects slowed traffic to a crawl through much of the downtown area, forcing some residents to find other modes of transportation Thursday.

“The traffic is bad, but I just walked down,” said Phyllis Quimby, who has watched the tournament for 40 years. “I just love to watch good tennis and see up-and-coming players.”