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With its $1,350 ''hand-painted leopard lamp with shade" and elegant $1,785 striped chairs, the Design Shop on Beacon Hill is just the sort of place to impress delegates attending the Democratic National Convention.

But most convention-goers will never set foot inside the Charles Street store. It plans to remain closed all week. The store is one of many Boston businesses that plan to change their hours or close entirely for the four-day event.

A study by the Beacon Hill Institute released yesterday found that just 11 percent of 100 Boston businesses expect the convention to help them make more this year than last, while 73 percent will break even or lose money. Even businesses that have contracts to provide services for the convention foresee mixed results, with just a third expecting an increase in business overall on the deal, the study found.

''Overall, these businesses don't seem to be cashing in as they'd hoped," said John Barrett, director of research for the Beacon Hill Institute, a public policy research organization at Suffolk University. ''This was heralded as a great economic boom, 'everyone join the prosperity.' Some people have gained, but by and large, most of it seems to be missing the mark."

City officials sharply disagreed with the survey and said it did not accurately reflect the convention's full economic benefits.

''The Beacon Hill Institute did a political survey, frankly, and neglected to take into consideration real economic factors, which we have done time and time again," said Susan Elsbree, a spokeswoman for the Boston Redevelopment Authority, which has helped track the convention's economic impact. She said the Beacon Hill Institute focused on only a narrow selection of businesses and did not look at broader spending, such as tourist groups visiting neighborhoods, private parties, and all of the construction activity to make ready the FleetCenter.

Still, some store owners yesterday along Charles Street, Beacon Hill's main commercial thoroughfare, said they were bracing for a week heavy on foot traffic but slow on sales, as delegates and members of the media trek past on their way to see nominee John F. Kerry's home nearby. Workers at Boston Art & Framing, who debated for weeks whether to stay open during the convention, ultimately decided to close up shop for most of the week. ''No one's going to have custom framing on their minds," said employee Erik Costello. ''It's all politics and happy hour."

Al Pescatore, a haircutter in the neighborhood, already has been making preparations for the long waits in between appointments: He plans to read science fiction novels. Though he expects revenue to be down about 50 percent that week, he said, he has to remain open to catch the few customers who come his way.

''It's a major hardship," he said. ''If we close, we don't make any money at all. We've got to at least make some money."

An informal Boston Globe survey of 110 businesses around the region showed Click on the DNC Business Survey at www.boston.com/business to see how local businesses plan to cope with the convention, or to add your company to the survey.that around 7 percent planned to close during convention week, and some others are juggling work schedules and reducing hours to accommodate road closures.

Optimists remain, however. Lynne Wolverton, owner of Linens on the Hill on Charles Street, is hoping for a boost from the convention: She's crossing her fingers that her $32 set of blue napkin rings, bamboo cheese knife, and other high-end items will lure a few of the better-known celebrities to her store.

''I'm hoping we'll get Katie Couric," she said. ''I watch the 'Today' show every day."

Though convention organizers maintain the event will bring $154 million in spending to town, the Beacon Hill Institute estimates the region will lose $8.2 million once road closings and other canceled events are factored in. Many Boston businesses are encouraging their workers to telecommute or are sending them home by early afternoon to avoid road closings. The depletion of workers downtown could translate into everything from fewer lunch purchases, to fewer business meetings in hotels, to lost productivity at some of the region's biggest companies.

The prospect of transit nightmares has persuaded some businesses that even if they got more customers during the convention, it wouldn't be worth the trouble.

At the Design Shop on Charles Street, employees tried to see the bright side yesterday. ''It's really slow right now, anyway," said Jessica Morton, an assistant designer. ''Everyone's already like, abort mission."

Plus, she said, the store's owners have a good reason to want out of town during the convention: They're Republicans.

Sasha Talcott can be reached at stalcott@globe.com.