SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. — Lake Michigan is the engine behind South Haven's busy season, and when temperatures spike, businesses feel it.
South Pier Creamery is one of the businesses seeing its biggest numbers during the current heat wave—with many people opting to cool off with a waffle cone.
"Definitely line out the door, curving around the store," Yarnissia Campbell, an employee of South Pier Creamery, said.
In one day, the creamery makes hundreds of waffle cones by hand.
Visit South Haven has the numbers to back that up. This past Saturday saw higher beach attendance at South Beach than any of the last four years.
Jennifer Sistrunk, executive director of Visit South Haven, said the organization tracks beach patterns.
Watch: West Michigan heat wave brings neighbors to the South Haven lakeshore
"We keep a really close eye on our beaches, to know what the movements are like, what the patterns are like," Sistrunk said.
"On average, in July, we can see anywhere from about 2,000 people beach on a Saturday," Sistrunk said.
For South Pier Creamery, preparation for the surge starts well before July.
"Crucial. The weeks leading up— end of June, we're making sure we have everything stocked— getting ready for this July month," Campbell said.
If you plan to visit South Haven in the next couple of days, plan ahead. A lot of people will be there.
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