A drainage improvement project on Florida Street is causing more than just congestion in the midtown area.
Local businesses behind the road blocks say it’s draining their customer flow and forcing them to make sacrifices to stay open.
Thursday, NBC 15 witnessed a silver-lining story among the mess that’s now North Florida street, proving that no competition or bumpy car ride can block the true sense of community in Mobile.
They're open for business but blocked by the eyesore. Construction on North Florida street’s causing confusion for local customers.
“I’m so sick and tired of going out in my parking lot waving at people saying I can’t get in,” Wimpee’s Floor Center owner Paul Wimpee said.
The current construction is part of a 9-month-long project to alleviate flooding. However, just six weeks in, Florida Street businesses are fighting to keep their heads above water.
“If my business was at 70 percent, I’m pretty much down to 20-25 percent now ever since the pavement has been ripped up,” Bay Barbeque owner Arthur Green said.
Bay Barbeque just started firing up their smoker in Mobile during mid-2017.
“It was a challenge to get open but as soon as we started flowing they ripped up the street,” Green said.
Now, instead of sharing his special rib rub with the community, Green’s having to cut down the hours Bay Barbecue’s open.
Butch Cassidy's Café had to cut their hours too after serving up award-winning burgers for more than a quarter of a century.
“It’s been a little rough, Butch Cassidy’s Café owner Roy Seewer said, adding “It’s definitely impacted the businesses. I had to lay off a couple of employees.”
It's a scary road ahead, but right now something's keeping Seewer grateful: a competing burger joint, Callaghan's Irish Social Club.
After hearing about the construction struggle, Callaghan’s took to social media asking the community to bring their business to Butch's.
One day and more than 2,000 shares later, Seweer and customers have noticed a difference.
“This is my third time in 24 hours,” customer Kyle Wilson said, adding “I love Butch’s and when I saw that post it really kind of dawned on me. You don’t really think about how this traffic impacts local businesses.”
Callaghan’s post prompted Wilson to head to Butch Cassidy’s with an open wallet and empty stomach. Plus, it prompted him to share the news with his friends who aren’t on Facebook.
“I try to stay off social media. My friend sent me the post,” Jake Epker said, adding “I love Butch Cassidy’s and I love local businesses, and I want to do anything to support them.”
The project's going to completely revamp Florida Street from drainage and sewers to sidewalks and the street.
City officials tell NBC 15 the goal is to keep one lane on both sides of Florida street open for the entire project.
Butch Cassidy’s has additional parking across the street of their restaurant.
Despite the bumpy pavement, most of Florida street remains open to drivers and customers at this time.
Read again Community comes together to help local businesses during Florida St. construction : https://ift.tt/2qOGaLS
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