Downtown State College's shops and restaurants, heavily dependent on student revenue, were forced to cope with a dramatic decline in business during the past three weeks.

"It's been very quiet," said Grace Mehlik, manager of McLanahan's Student Store, 414 E. College Ave. "Very, very quiet."

The break from classes gave students the opportunity to travel home and celebrate the holidays with their families, but while students were away, some stores and restaurants in State College struggled to continue doing business as usual.

"Over break, our sales definitely do drop because students aren't here," said Nicole Huckabee, assistant manager of Metro, 320 E. College Ave.

Mehlik said students are one of the most important assets to downtown stores, as they make up the majority of the business in State College.

"Our business is 95 percent students," Mehlik said. "We get some local people and out-of-towners, but it's the students who really keep the town alive."

Still, some residents said they saw the benefits of the absence of students during break.

"There was more parking than normal," Borough Council member Elizabeth Goreham said. "But it's a very different place without the students. The energy is much less."

Businesses had to alter sales techniques during break, including changing their hours. Many stores in town closed earlier than normal during break because of the decline in business.

"We always close up early during the breaks because it's not feasible to stay open until midnight," Mehlik said, who closed the doors of McLanahan's at 6 p.m. each day during break.

Huckabee said Metro closed its doors early over break as well, typically at 6 p.m on weekdays and 8 p.m. on weekends.

Still, some businesses were able to maintain the same hours during break.

"We always have the same hours, even during break," said Andrew Stangl, manager of Mad Mex, 240 S. Pugh St. "Business is a little less, although we've actually been busier than expected during break."

Stangl credits this business partially to the restaurant's connection to the Day's Inn hotel, which he said can generate more dinner business.

However, Mad Mex was closed for a portion of the break while the restaurant's floors were being redone.

Although stores and restaurants stayed open during break and tried to continue doing business, some said things were just not the same without the students.

Mary Lee Kerr, of Boalsburg, said she traveled into downtown State College a few times to shop during break, and the area was not completely vacant.

"Without the students, there are not as many consumers," she said. "But it still seemed pretty busy."

As the new semester begins, local businesses said they're looking forward to having the students back.

"It's good to have them back," Mehlik said. "I've missed them."