NAT POP:  Aloha!

Adam:  Some San Francisco shops are saying, “Hello pearl, goodbye recession.”  Situated just in front of the two-tier carousel at tourist-haven Pier 39 – Pearl Factory store manager Quen Lalong has good reason to shout the Hawaiian salutation.  

Quen Lalong: We have a lot of local clientele who come out and spend money.   You would think the economy would have affected us, but it hasn’t.

NAT POP: Sea Lions

Adam: As the famous sea lions of pier 39 whelp on their docks just a stones throw from Lalang’s shop, tourists flock to the store to dive in buckets for pearls.  The store continues to benefit from tourists who say they are in San Fransisco to spend smart.

Tourist #1: I didn’t think we planned on spending anything we saw. We wanted to stick to a list and budget for things.

Tourist Couple #2: We planned; there are bargains out there. We shop around.  Like last night when we go our room, we used one of those last minute deals and it worked out.

Adam:  The Pearl Factory seems to be the exception rather than the rule for the tourist heavy Pier 39 and fisherman’s wharf.  

NAT POP:  Bus start up

Adam:  Walk down the street car laden Embarcadero and eventually bump into the grey building representing pier 43 and a half.  It’s the location of the Greyline bus company’s San Francisco office and the site for many of operations manager Dave Burg’s worries.  

Dave Burg:  We see people down here not spending any money, they’re just window shopping.  At this point the spring is showing that it’s going to be a very slow year

Adam:  Burg estimates his business is 8 percent behind where it was last year.  But, that figure is slightly deceptive.  San Francisco is coming off a two year span where it set records for most visitors in a year.  In fact, 2008’s 16 million tourists generated more than 8 and a half billion dollars for the city.  

Adam: Back at Pier 39, the vermillion span of the Golden Gate Bridge shimmers in the distance.  On a stage behind the carousel, performer Keith Evislog juggles glimmering knives.  

NAT POP:  Remember kids try this at home

Adam:  While the knives haven’t cost him an arm and a leg, the recession has.

NAT POP:  Are you going to pay me? NO!!!!!

Keith Evislog:  It’s been dismal – I got about… Saturday’s and Sunday’s are normally the best around here.  Working on a Sunday afternoon last week I got about half of what I normally average.

Adam:  Merchants are hoping that families will still crowd the pier once school lets out.  So they two can ring a bell and say goodbye to the recession.

NAT POP: Aloha and ringing bells

Adam:  Adam Cavalier – California News Network.