Austin bar adds pool, misting fans to attract customers during slow summer months

AUSTIN (KXAN) --- Restaurants and bars are struggling with the incredibly hot temperatures as they see less foot traffic during the summer months.

It comes at a time when Austin-Travis County EMS paramedics responded to nearly 30 heat-related calls since Monday.

ATCEMS said on its X account Wednesday morning that 28 heat-related incidents happened over the last two days.

'Get people in the door'

The heat made some businesses come up with creative ways to attract customers.

Skinny's Off Track Bar added a pool to its back patio to keep people cool.

"Got the pool about a month ago. It's done really well," Skinny's Off Track Bar Manager Mark Devito said.

They were able to add the 10-foot pool thanks to a donation from Cowboy Pool. Devito said they also added misting fans after struggling with fewer customers last summer.

"Like us and other eastside bars, we're very patio reliant. Not a whole lot of people want to hang out outside," Devito said. "We made a lot of improvements to try to combat that and get people in the door."

'Installing pretty much every day'

ATX Misting Solutions said it has seen a steady stream of orders coming in since summer started.

Once temperatures get in the 90s, Doerr said business starts picking up. He said they're typically selling more than 20 fans per day.

A lot of those calls come from restaurants.

"Most of the time, they're really concerned about losing business on their patios because it's so hot," Doerr said.