Westport business see slowdown in holiday crowds due to rain, cold temps

Westport business owners say they saw a slowdown in the usual Memorial Day weekend crowds due to the bad weather.

Brian Denke, the cook of Joey’s by the Shore, says they expected this holiday weekend to draw large crowds. 

“We stacked up just in case we got really busy so we didn’t run out of anything,” Denke says.

However, many of this weekend's festivities were halted because of cold temperatures and rain, leaving beaches nearly empty and stores not as busy.

Denke says although they didn’t get the rush they expected, locals still had the opportunity to stop in and grab a bite to eat ahead of tourists from out of town.

"A lot of people that live around here usually come by, especially on rainy days,” Denke says. “They see that we're slow, so they'll come and they'll get breakfast and come back and eat lunch.”

As a few more rain showers are expected before Monday, businesses owners say they are hoping for a break in the clouds by the end of the holiday weekend.