Rain Easing Drought Impact on Businesses

By Dave Vieser – With the drought stretching into late spring, a logical question is how this unusual weather is impacting local businesses around Lake Norman.

Water restrictions can lead to increased operational costs for businesses that rely on water. Restaurants and cafes may face higher bills and limited menu options because of ingredient shortages.

Companies that rely on lake access face additional obstacles.

However, a survey of local business owners suggests many are holding their own so far, and recent rains have improved the outlook for others.

Jim Gordon operates Peninsula Prime restaurant in Jetton Village.

“Restaurants and bars in this area tend to thrive when the weather keeps people off the lake,” Gordon said. “Rainy days, or low lake levels, can significantly boost our business.”

Gordon said sales have actually been up recently.

“I wouldn’t attribute that directly to the drought. However, it does make sense that the inability to enjoy lake activities might lead more people to dine out instead,” he said.

How about businesses that depend on lake access for their clientele?

Alex Kuz, owner of The Boat Doctor, specializes in servicing boats from the water. His expertise appeals to customers who do not want the trouble of pulling their boats for service.

He said business has picked up with recent rains after a spring when many boats were sitting on dry land and could not be serviced.

While he’s back to doing regular maintenance that is usually done in the spring, he said he’s seen an estimated 400% increase in calls to fix trim systems and broken props damaged in shallow waters.

Boat rentals are also a big business on Lake Norman. Despite the low lake levels, Safe Harbor Kings Point and Morningstar Marinas Crown Harbor have not seen any impact on rentals.

Crown Harbor has been fully booked, and the marina has also added new dry-dock customers in recent weeks as many private dock owners looked for a solution for beached boats.

The warm, dry spring was a boon for some boat detailing businesses, said Kenyon Stanley, owner of Details Matter.

Many of his clients booked annual detailing services earlier than usual before falling lake levels left many boats beached.

Water restrictions have also created challenges, as many cities and towns have limited vehicle washing. Private wells are exempt, and Stanley said he can sometimes use lake water in coves that have not experienced heavy turbidity.

He also uses a waterless compound when water is not available.

“It’s a little more expensive, but it works really well as long as the boat isn’t too far gone,” he said. “If it hasn’t been detailed in a few years, then we have to put water on it.”

For Cornelius-based Decks and Docks, which supplies dock and seawall construction materials to contractors, sales have been comparable to previous years. This spring the company had one customer who cited the lower lake levels as the main reason to complete dock repairs now.

Overall, local businesses seem to be handling the 2026 drought in stride, but they all share one hope: that the recent trend of wet weather continues.

“If your readers can do some rain dances, I know all of us would really appreciate it,” Kuz said.