Usually at this point in May, Myrtle Beach businesses are counting profits made from a bustling month of bikers - but not this year.
The May bike rallies in Myrtle Beach have both now officially come to an end, and many businesses say they've been left in the red and that the city is to blame.
One example of a hurting business owner is Mags Chroniger, who manages The Barrel in Myrtle Beach. For her, May is big.
"Huge. Huge. I can't even begin to tell you," Chroniger explained about the importance of May.
But this year, it wasn't an impressive month of profits.
"We were down 70 percent this year. I know personally my wallet was down 70 percent this year," she said.
When Myrtle Beach put the brakes on the May bike rallies, bikers got mad, and many boycotted Myrtle Beach businesses.
"And they made their point. They made their point big-time," said Chroniger.
Mags told the story of four bar regulars from New Jersey who've stopped in at her bar for years, except this May.
"They said, 'Are you in the city limits?' I said I am. They said, 'We can't spend a dime in here,' and they left. That hurt," added Chroniger.
Hotel owner Robert Kelly feels her pain, and he reports between 30-40 percent profit losses at two of his properties.
Kelly organized the group BOOST, Business Owners Organized to Save Tourism, and he and his group say it's time for Myrtle Beach to be introduced to a new group of leaders, and not ones who just care about the rallies.
"We're not going to try to run single-issue candidates. We want people who are pro-growth, who are going to put a better, more welcoming face on the city of Myrtle Beach," he said.
Kelly doesn't think Myrtle Beach necessarily accomplished its goal of ending the rallies. He says they just curbed the attendance and hurt business.
"All they've done in our opinion, in BOOST's opinion, is to hurt the hardworking people of Myrtle Beach and Horry County."
Hardworking people like Mags who's still wearing a smile, but crossing her fingers at the same time.
"This year, I'm just going to have to pray to God that I still get the summer business," she said and added with a laugh, "Come support The Barrel. Mags needs to pay the bills."
