A slow summer reported for some businesses on Galveston Island

GALVESTON, TX (KTRK) -- It's lunchtime on Labor Day along the Strand, and some retailers tell us the weekend crowds are already headed home, after what some describe as a slow summer.

James Madis is co-owner of Milagro Imports & Design, and says that's also what he's hearing from fellow business owners.

"As far as body count of visitors, it's seems average, it's not above, as far as sales. Sales are really down and that's nationwide," said Madis.

Madis believes most retailers are feeling the pinch of a struggling economy, but adds that some of his pains come directly from living in Southeast Texas.

"The oil and gas industry is in a big slump, that is a huge impact on all of us," said Madis. "We have friends that are out of work, laid off, in jobs that were supposed to be secure."

Along the Seawall, at Bargain Beachwear, Angela Hankey has her own theories about their slow summer season, saying talk about bacteria in the water hasn't helped them.

"We've had 10-15 customers come into the store asking if the water is safe," said Angela.

The end result is the same for her store, she says, they've had trouble selling what she considers the staples of a summer getaway.

"We had to put a lot of stuff on sale extra early, because it's just been that bad, you know?"

The Galveston Convention and Visitors Bureau says although numbers were down slightly in June, it does not yet have statistics for the entire summer season. In an effort to include Labor Day, it will have those numbers available for the entire season in about a week.