By Nomaan MerchantThe Daily Northwestern

Evanston businesses are welcoming Northwestern students – and their wallets – back with open arms.

For some local establishments, students almost double monthly sales during the school year, buying up everything from ethernet cords to sandwiches. September is especially important for business, when demand is at its highest.

“It’s like Christmastime,” said Erik Henley, an employee at RadioShack, 716 Church St. “We probably do better business in September than we do during the holidays.”

Henley said students make up almost a third of RadioShack’s total sales during the year.

For Gap, 1706 Sherman Ave., NU students account for about half of the store’s total business during the school year, store supervisor Amanda Furlano said.

Furlano said she employs many students while school is in session, and during the summer she hires local students attending other schools for most of the year.

The university’s financial importance for Evanston has been debated for years. In May, Northwestern released the results of a study which it sponsored to research the school’s economic impact on Evanston. The study found that the university generates between $145 million and $175 million for Evanston’s economy.

Evanston officials and residents have expressed skepticism about the results, which they say are dishonest and misleading.

Most businesses agree, however, that things would not be the same without Northwestern students.

“When the kids go away, the business goes away,” said Claudio Flores, an assistant manager at CVS Pharmacy, 1711 Sherman Ave. “You know when the kids come back.”

Reach Nomaan Merchant at [email protected].