The Nisqually Earthquake shook more than the ground when it hit Feb. 28. It affected the livelihood of area businesses that have experienced a lower volume of customers since the quake cracked State Route 202, causing it to be shut down.

The communities of Snoqualmie and Fall City, which have population and retail bases closest to the road-closure site, seemed to feel the greatest business slowdown from the closure.

Sam Johnson, general manager of the Salish Lodge and Spa, said business is down from last year, but explained that it’s hard to determine whether that can be attributed to the slowing economy or the road closure, or even the fact that tourist season doesn’t start until June.

“We’re business as usual for the most part, and it’s having an impact, but it’s hard to quantify the exact financial impact,” he said. “We’re struggling, trying to determine what the impact is. We have not historically kept track of business from people coming in as walk-in business. But it is having an impact, there’s no question.”

The lodge’s walk-in business has been affected, in its gift shop at the Falls and The Attic restaurant, at which people stop and eat because it’s more casual than the hotel’s other restaurant. The hotel’s regular room and spa business has not been affected as much, Johnson explained, because the Salish a destination for most clients, rather than an impulse stop.

“Most guests have reservations, so what we’re really missing is that walk-in business which is people who are happening to drive by and stopping in,” he said.

“If we see business trend down, we would be looking at hiring fewer seasonal employees,” he said.

Chris Dillon, owner of Isadora’s Antiques and Cafe in downtown Snoqualmie, said her business is losing about $3,000 a month because of the road closure.

“The weekends aren’t affected as much as the weekday traffic, I think, because weekdays are about half of their normal traffic and sales. I didn’t think it would affect us that much, but boom, right away we noticed,” she said.

Snoqualmie’s neighbor on the other side of the SR 202 crack, Fall City, also has its share of troubles.

“We miss everybody,” said Fall City Grill manager Marianne Nordlund. The restaurant’s lunch business has dwindled to almost a third of what it was pre-road closure, and dinnertime also yields less customers.

“There’s really nothing we can do to get people down off the hill for their lunches. During the weekdays, the traffic is just too bad for customers to get her during lunch,” she said.