Campustown business owners are asking themselves the same question – What does Veishea’s cancellation mean for their bottom lines?

Owners have discussed with one another how this year’s April will play out and also how to staff their business during the week that Veishea usually takes place.

Without any hard data available, business owners have differing opinions about how the absence of Veishea will affect their income.

“We were up about 20 percent during the week, it was our busiest week of the year,” said Chris Uetz, owner of Jeff’s Pizza, referring to previous Veishea celebrations.

“Canceling (Veishea) won’t affect our business, it will probably even make it better,” said Clint Sletten, owner of The Asylum Tattoo and Body Piercing.

Sletten said he started to notice a decrease in business when Veishea was first moved off Welch Avenue and onto campus.

“Our business was probably tripled when Veishea was on Welch Avenue, if not more. We couldn’t work enough hours,” Sletten said. “We’ve all chitchatted about the same thing and since it’s moved from Welch on campus, it’s been kicking everyone’s business.”

Other business owners have mixed feelings about Veishea being cancelled.

“Veishea weekend was one of the busiest weekends of the year,” said Mike Adams, general manager for Welch Avenue Station. “All in all, I think that extra business is spread out through the rest of the spring, I don’t think it all comes back but it doesn’t all go away either.”

Matthew Goodman, owner of Fighting Burrito and Superdog, said his business was doubled during the week and tripled on the weekend of Veishea week. Goodman said not having Veishea this year will decrease business in Campustown.

A typical night for Fajita Man owner Mark Motsch starts at 11 p.m. and finishes at 3 a.m. However, during Veishea, hours started at 8 p.m. and finished at 4:30 a.m. This year, Motsch suspects he will run the same hours as if it were a regular week.

Other business owners don’t think canceling Veishea will affect them because their customers are of a different demographic.

“In general, that weekend is a little bit of a bump up just because there’s more people in town looking for something to do,” said Anne Taylor, co-owner of Dogtown University.

Taylor said during the week of Veishea, weather affects her business the most.

This year, however, Taylor doesn’t expect to see much of a change in business because the spring game is scheduled for the same date as last year.

As alumni come to Ames for the spring game, Taylor’s regular customers often come to Dogtown to shop, she said.

The overriding theme after the cancellation of Veishea among Campustown business owners is one of uncertainty.