Daylight Savings Time: an economic boon!

Dad's Ice Cream shop just landed an unexpected marketing partner for its business: daylight.

When the sun is out, even a glimmer on the horizon, it's like a free advertisement urging customers to stop in for a creamy hot fudge sundae.

"We didn't really expect it, but people are coming in later and later," said Lea Rebennack, store manager at Dad's Ice Cream on Thompson Road. "We had no idea people would be wanting ice cream at 9 p.m."

But they are, thanks to an extra hour of evening daylight captured when Indiana turned its clocks forward for daylight-saving time for the first time in three decades. Since the time change took effect two weeks ago, Dad's has readjusted its hours to grab the swirl of customers hitting its store later in the evening. It has extended its closing time by an hour to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Add Dad's to a list of retailers who weren't exactly expecting a big jump in business due to the time change but say they've gotten it in the past two weeks.

So not only does Daylight Savings Time save lives, it's improving Indiana's economy. And to think people didn't want it!

I enjoyed a nice walk this evening. By the time I got back from running errands, it would have been too dark, were it still Standard Time.

I remember, in my youth, walking to a nearby ice cream store during summer. (This was California, so nice weather lasted quite some time.) We didn't do it when it was dark, though.