In his 15 years of owning Alma Mater Custom Apparel, Brian Meade, 47, faces one of his best business opportunities yet with Labor Day weekend.
His business, which sells retail and custom Florida Gators merchandise, moved to a new spot within the Westgate Regency Shopping Center in February.
Now located in the corner lot that faces the intersection of West University Avenue and Southwest 34th Street, Meade said he believes his store will have better visibility for drivers.
“This weekend is going to be the biggest boost,” Meade said. “The retail sales this weekend could pay the retail rent for three months.”
Meade said he expects between $8,000 and $9,000 in sales this weekend, making it one of the highest-grossing weekends he’s had. Comparatively, the store averages about $5,000 in sales on other football game weekends and around $2,000 to $3,000 during other busy periods, such as basketball or baseball games.
Meade is not the only one expecting a significant increase in sales this weekend.
This year, as the Gators play their first football game of the season on Saturday of Labor Day weekend, it provides numerous businesses across Gainesville substantial opportunities for an increase in business.
The weekend is expected to be one of the busiest times for Gainesville merchants. And businesses have taken steps to prepare for the rush of visitors.
According to Visit Gainesville, Alachua County saw $531 million in direct visitor spending during 2025, up 3.4% from 2024. During 2024 and 2025, tourism drove an average of 25% of local consumer spending, but increased to 31% during Labor Day weekend in each year.
Understanding the impact tourism has on the local economy, Meade said he is doubling his stock and extending his business hours for Saturday. While the store is typically open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays, this week it will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Meade added that, depending on whether the Gators win, he may open on Sunday as well, which he’s never done before.
“This would be new for us,” he said. “We really kind of still have no idea how the first weekend is going to go here compared to where we were in our old spot.”
For Keke’s Breakfast Cafe, which is located in Butler Plaza, preparation for Labor Day weekend started over a month ago.
The cafe’s general manager, Emily Segovia, 23, said that from late July to early August, she hired about 10 to 15 additional employees and trained the staff to be ready for increased business. When it comes to the food itself, Segovia said she is increasing the stock from 80 to around 150 crates.
“This weekend is one of the most important weekends because this is our first step into season,” Segovia said.
Because most people will be off on Labor Day, Segovia said she expects a drastic increase in sales, as Mondays are usually the slowest day of the week during the fall.
The restaurant usually sees around 150 guests, bringing in about $2,000 in sales on a typical Monday. On Labor Day, Segovia estimates restaurant revenues will more than triple from anywhere between $7,000 and $10,000.
“That extra day means everything to us because it just gives us an extra shot at winning people over,” Segovia said.
Over at HASS Kitchen, a brunch cafe located on West University Avenue, head chef Thames Stokes, 24, said he increased the restaurant’s food stock by 50% for the weekend.
During busy weekends, Stokes said the restaurant can serve around 300 to 500 people per day, so on Labor Day weekend, the establishment could see up to 1,500 guests.
“We’re going to get through that weekend no matter what,” Stokes said. “But if we focus, then we can bring in a larger amount of money for the business. When the business does well, we’re all happy, and everybody’s happy to do a good job.”
To keep everything running smoothly, Stokes said he plans to arrive at the restaurant an hour and a half before it opens, while the rest of the staff will show up an hour before service starts.
“Busy days can be make-or-break for businesses like us,” he said. “If it’s a busy weekend and something like a computer goes out, and then tickets all of a sudden are 30 minutes behind from something that we can’t control, it’s hard because we lose customers permanently.”
Labor Day weekend can also provide an opportunity for businesses to see what strategies work and what the Gainesville market is like during busy times.
For example, Island Hospitality Management, a third-party company that recently assumed management of the Aloft by Marriott Gainesville University Area hotel, is using Labor Day weekend to better understand hotel consumer behavior.
The company’s director of digital marketing and strategy, Kiley Watkins, 39, said it has no information on how the hotel strategized for previous Labor Day weekends, so it has to learn on the fly this year.
“This weekend, our goal is just to beat last year,” Watkins added. “So do whatever we can to beat last year and use it as definitely a learning experience for next [year].”
Watkins also said she’s looked at the last-minute demand for Labor Day weekend and is studying ways her team can best increase the hotel’s visibility by using tools like Tripadvisor, Expedia and Booking.com.
So whether it’s a hotel, a restaurant or a small merchandise store like Alma Mater Custom Apparel, businesses across Gainesville are taking extra steps to prepare for the rush of people coming into town for Labor Day weekend.