It's cold outside: These Rockford-area industries depend on winter

When temperatures inched toward 60 degrees on Christmas Day, it didn't look like the Rockford region would have much of a winter.

And while a balmy winter may be comfortable for local residents, a lack of cold and snow doesn't sit well with certain businesses that depend on wintry conditions to keep their lights on.

Here's a look at some of those businesses.

Snow removal companies

An obvious one here. Private companies depend on snow to keep their plow trucks going. When the white stuff piles up, some companies can rake in $50,000 or more per truck, per season. According to the Snow & Ice Management Association, the private snow removal industry generates about $21 billion every year. Contractors spent about $6 billion on labor and $5 billion on equipment. But, when there's no snow, there's no cash.

Ski hills and snow parks

Ski hills like Cascade Mountain in Madison, Wisconsin, and Villa Olivia in Barlett, Illinois, draw skiers and snowboarders from all over the region as do places like the Snow Park at Alpine Hills, which is right here in the Forest City. And while ski hills and snow parks have the capability to make their own snow, little can be done when temperatures are below freezing. Cross-country skiing facilities also suffer when there's no snow, most notably those that charge for use of their trails and rent gear.

Outdoor outfitters

Winter is an important season for outdoor retailers as sales of skis, snowshoes, boots, apparel and other cold-weather products are important to their bottom line. Mild weather can often cause sales of these items to plummet. Specialized outfitters who run outdoor events, give ski lessons and tours also suffer when the weather doesn't cooperate.

"We use to also have a store in Aurora," said Kevin Versino, general manager of Rocktown Adventures in Rockford. "And in five years, we had one ski class and one snowshoe event from 2014 to 2018 because of a lack of snow. We closed because whatever I was making, I had to invest (back) just to keep the store open in the wintertime."

Versino said it's not uncommon for a specialty outfitter like Rocktown Adventures to lose as much as $30,000 in winter when weather doesn't cooperate.

Hardware stores

When mild winters come calling, local hardware stores sell fewer snow shovels, ice melters, scrapers and batteries. A lack of snow also means bigger ticket items like heaters, snowblowers and generators just sit on showroom floors.

Plumbers

When cold weather hits, plumbers are popular people. Problems caused by frozen pipes and broken sump pumps typically have crews scrambling all over the area to make repairs. That means service calls and repairs can cost double what they would during warmer months.

Heating and air conditioning

Broken furnaces and thermostats are as common as frozen pipes during cold weather. Homeowners across the region scramble when heating systems fail. And while it's true that HVAC companies do work all year and are paid well when air conditioning units fail, missing out on emergency service rates in winter, which can be as high as $600 per hour, can result in significant losses in revenue.

Fitness centers

Seasonal attendance trends are common in the fitness community. During winter, things like the holidays and New Year's resolutions are almost always responsible for bigger crowds in January and February. And while those initial crowds taper off, gym owners hope cold weather keeps who's left indoors. But when temperatures become unseasonably warm, it's common for some folks to exercise outside while they last, causing attendance to dip to summer levels, which can be 50-percent less than the rest of the year.

Snowmobile dealers

Although snowmobile sales saw a 5.6-percent improvement in the Midwest in 2023, warm weather and a lack of snow has delayed the season for many riders. This can be tough on the industry as four out of five snowmobile dealers are small businesses.

Coffee shops

Even those who don't drink coffee enjoy a piping-hot drink on a brisk day. This is why coffee shops are the busiest in winter. But, that's not always the case when temperatures warm up and a hot drink isn't what hits the spot. To make up for lost sales during warmer months, coffee shops turn to loyalty programs, punch cards and serve a variety of cold brews, specialty drinks and food.

Jim Hagerty covers business, growth and development and other general news topics for the Rockford Register Star. Email him at jhagerty@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: These Rockford-area industries welcome cold weather