Just because the road is closed doesn’t mean the businesses around it are, too.
Five local businesses ? Art & Dick’s Party Store, Paul’s Barber Shop, Little Caesars, Frosty Boy and Subway ? want people to know they’re still open and ready to serve customers despite the fact that W. Burdick St./ Seymour Lake Rd. between Ashley Way and S. Waterstone Dr. is closed for construction until July 19.
Vehicles and customers can still easily access the parking lot and businesses as they are located just east of the road closure.
Unfortunately, the construction project has significantly impacted the businesses in a negative way as customers either no longer drive through the area as part of their usual route or they are purposely avoiding it so as not to be inconvenienced.
‘It’s been devastating,? said Chuck Walleman, owner of Art & Dick’s Party Store. ?(Business is) more than 50 percent off. It hurts. It hurts a lot.?
‘Our business is obviously down. I would definitely say we’re down a good 30 percent,? said Henry Sugden, manager of Paul’s Barber Shop. ‘Everybody here I’ve talked with, their business is down.?
Walleman is grateful to those customers who are going the extra mile? literally ? to shop his store.
‘We do have some people that are actually coming all the way around from Waterstone,? he said. ‘That’s just delightful when you see that because you know those are folks that really like you.?