Taking care of business in January

Take a quick poll of folks in these parts. Ask for their favorite month of the year. January will be at the bottom of the list.

After the excitement of New Year’s Day, it’s all downhill.

The weather is only part of it … though often a big part.

There is the post-Holiday Season fatigue. Too many parties. Too much eating. Too much drinking. Can people really get that excited about an early trip to the gym and another day of eating salads?

On the business side, the thought of January is even bleaker.

The restaurant business takes a major dive. Want a quiet night out? Try a Tuesday in January at a fine dining restaurant. “Quiet” is the operative word.

And life in the construction world is somewhere between difficult and impossible. If a new construction project didn’t get everything under roof by the end of November, there is a good chance that progress will be minimal until spring.

Finally, it is the mega-month for cold and flu season. All of the coughing, sneezing, wheezing and gagging.

Don’t you just love it when you greet a friend, receive a huge handshake … followed by the statement, “I am so sick. Got this awful cold.” And you run for the nearest bottle of Purell hand sanitizer.

OK. Before this column gets too depressing, let’s try to find a silver lining in the middle of all of the grey winter clouds.

There are a few businesses that actually thrive during the month of January.

Of course, during the first 10 days of the year, the people in the heater repair business were working overtime. And raking in the cash. Is there anything worse than waking up on a cold morning to realize the temperature in your house is 50 degrees and the heater is deader than the 76ers’ fourth-quarter offense?

Speaking of sports, the Eagles gave a nice bump to area businesses throughout the month. Sales of Eagles jerseys, T-shirts and other paraphernalia have been brisk … everywhere from Boscov’s to Schuylkill Valley Sporting Goods, to street corner gas stations.

And, while fine dining establishments suffer, the area sports bars and restaurants saw a dramatic uptick thanks to the Eagles making a playoff appearance for the first time since 2013.

“The last few years we have been dead during the NFL Playoffs,” said Kevin Crescenzo, manager of Steppy’s Sports Bar at Facenda-Whitaker Lanes in East Norriton. “There just wasn’t any excitement. This year we had people reserving tables and getting together for the game.”

When that happens, the