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The summer months are a lean time for many College Park businesses. The University of Maryland, College Park, goes on break and most of its 37,000 students scatter, taking their wallets with them.

But the void for business owners is at least partially filled thanks to many surrounding residents who consider the quieter, less crowded summertime College Park an ideal place to spend their time and money.

"It's much more quiet in the summer," said Mary Baugher, a university employee and University Park resident, as she left Jason's Deli on Route 1. "It makes it easier as far as lines and parking."

There has long been a sense that many city residents avoid downtown College Park during the school year, said city planning director Terry Schum.

Their primary reasons, in many cases, are an abundant student population and perceived lack of parking. With the students gone, many residents take advantage of the warm weather and less-congested shopping centers.

"Maybe we're picking up some of the town folk who don't like to be overwhelmed by students," Schum said. "That helps take care of some of the slack without having full-time students here."

The summer doldrums are a fact of life for merchants in the area, which is already dealing with a spate of economy-related closings. In the past two years, slow sales have forced several downtown shops, including Insomnia Cookies, South Street Steaks and Bikini Splash, to close.

"[Summer] takes business down about 30 percent," said Bobby Karanovich, owner of the Bagel Place, which has been on Route 1 for 28 years. "Our weekends are hit harder than our weekdays."

John Brown, owner of R.J. Bentley's, said business at his restaurant decreases about 20 to 25 percent during most summers. He also sees a change in clientele.

"You'll have people that want to come back into College Park because they just didn't like the congestion or the confusion," he said. "Our lunches are quite often busier when school's out than when it's in."

Brown is a member of the Downtown College Park Management of Authority, an organization of local merchants. He said the group would like to court area residents more aggressively, but is concerned that they'd have nowhere to park.

"In the past, we tried to do various advertisements," he said. "Right now, this is the biggest issue."

Brown said the DCPMA will likely increase its efforts once the city's new 288-space Knox Road parking garage opens in August.

Karanovich said that while slow summers are inescapable, they can be balanced by reliable local customers and brisk business during the rest of the year.

"It has its advantages when school's in and sometimes it has its disadvantages," he said. "You set aside what you can to make it through."

E-mail David Hill at dhill@gazette.net.