The Lake Area economy remains strong in 2020.

Houses to buy are hard to find, boats are hard to come by, and some retailers have to adapt.

A local butcher shop will not be processing deer this year.

Chris Stevens owns The Butcher Shop in Camdenton. He tells KRMS News other demands in the store are making it too difficult to handle deer processing the way have since the shop opened in 1933.

Stevens gives credit to area chambers of commerce and mayors that kept the Lake Area open and safe at the same time.

He also says he thinks Lake of the Ozarks might be one of the freest parts of the US right now.