Square Shops Bask in Balminess

Business nearly doubled for most Harvard Square stores last week thanks to the warm weather which led many to walk the streets of Cambridge, local merchants said late last week.

"Ever since the weather got warm," said Karl Berberick of the Golden Temple shoe store, "business has skyrocketed. Last Saturday was like a riot."

Patrick Gibbons of David's Cookies said, "Saturday was incredible," and business for the rest of the week has shot "up by about 100 percent." He said the increases have been entirely in ice cream sales; cookie sales have remained constant.

Business at Steve's has doubled as well, according to ice cream maker Tom J. Lemere. He said that Lehze Flax '89, who "scooped alone for two hours yesterday, was "going crazy" because her co-worker hadn't shown up for work. "I'd like to help her, but we're almost out of ice cream," he said.

The warm weather, which has had thousands of potential buyers browsing the stores of Cambridge, has led especially to an increase in "impulse" sales, according to John B. Zedios of the Brattle Square Florist shop. He said, "warm weather gets the people inspired and flowers are supposed to be inspirational." Daffodils and tulips are also the store's best selling buds.

Urban Outfitters has been about twice as many customers as usual, said cashier Heather O. Blake, with most of them looking to buy bathing suits and shorts for summer and spring. While spring may have brought smiles to the faces of store proprietors, Blake said the customers are still "not very friendly," their first concern being to get "in and out, in and out."

They take their time and relax, though, in front of Au Bon Pain, where manager Douglas O. Parker has just set up coffee tables and chairs accomodating 200. While "people love to sit and sip coffee," he said, chocolate, ham and cheese, and spinach croissants are their best sellers. The only new item on Au Bon Pain's menu this spring is blueberry croissants, which they will introduce next week.