Spring break has already begun for many northern schools, and local businesses along the county’s major corridors are ready for the peak.

“Spring break traffic means quite a bit for our business,” said James Grimes of Blue Lake Grocery located on Hwy. 137.

Emily Dorsey, owner of Onycha Grocery, on Hwy. 331 between Opp and Florala, agreed.

“It helps a lot,” she said. “We were the only gas station between Florala and Brantley,” she said. “People worry that they aren’t going to have gas, so they stop here, and receive friendly service.”

Dorsey said she and other employees invite customers back, and they usually stop again.

And people are already coming through, Dorsey said.

“I think we’ll see more people in the coming weeks,” she said.

In fact, Grimes said that business from Spring Break, which runs from late February through April, accounts for about 5 to 10 percent of his annual sales.

Dorsey said that her store sees an increase in business around this time of year.

“We have hunting season and spring break starts,” she said. “It makes a big difference.”

“We see quite a bit of people from all over the place,” she said.

And while some businesses have experienced a decline in sales during Spring Break for the past couple of years, Grimes said Blue Lake Grocery has seen the opposite.

“Actually, it’s picked up in the last few years, despite the economy,” he said.