By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
Two years of construction to upgrade utility services and roads have taken their toll on downtown Bowling Green merchants.
Greg Halamay, owner of Finders and chair of the Downtown Bowling Green Special Improvement District, said how steep a toll varies business to business and day to day.
“It’s definitely having an impact on everyone downtown,” he said. “There’s no question about that.”
Depending on the day his receipts can be down 10 to 20 percent. He’s heard of other businesses that are down 50-75 percent.
That has another mainstay of the business community worried. Floyd Craft, who opened his first store here. 43 years ago, said his business has declined, but he’s established. “We’ll survive. I am worried about some of the smaller stores,” he said.
“Remember we are here,” Halamay said. “Everybody is open for business. We appreciate the patronage.”
And people are now stepping up to do what they can to help those businesses. Kate Kamphuis, a Bowling Green resident, posted on Facebook a challenge to city residents.
“Our downtown businesses are struggling with this never ending (though needed) construction.
“I challenge you to take a daily walk downtown,” Kamphuis posted. “Shop our stores. Eat lunch or dinner at our restaurants. They can’t do this without us. These businesses are pivotal to BG’s economic success. Without them — locals lose jobs and we have empty store fronts. BG has always stood together. Let’s not bail on our businesses when they need us most. I’m going to do it. Join me.”
Deb Baerwaldt, owner of Healing Sapphire Massage, saw that challenge and took it. She’s offering a 10-percent discount for any appointment for someone who can produce a receipt for a purchase of $10 or more from a business in the downtown area — she defines that as being between Court and Ordway.
Baerwaldt’s office is the Four Corners Building, the former Huntington Bank. But she said, she’s not been affected by the road construction. Her clients all schedule their appointments. “It’s not taken its toll on me like it has others.”
But she loves downtown, she said. Even before she opened her practice there. When she read Kamphuis’ post it “triggered” the realization that everyone could do something. The discount is what she can do and a couple other business proprietors have responded and joined her effort — sale signs have proliferated along Main Street.
“I just felt like we all need to do our part to keep downtown alive,” Baerwaldt said.
And the response on Facebook has been striking. Her post has been shared 156 times as of 5:30 Friday, and been viewed by 21,000 people.
“The community is only as strong as downtown, and downtown is only as strong as this community,” said Tony Vetter, executive director of Downtown Bowling Green. “We need to support each other at this time.”
He said there’s been a lot of buzz on social media from people concerned about how to assist downtown. He urges those folks to tag Downtown BG in their posts, so they can be shared.
Gayle Walterbach, of Coyote Beads, has noticed customers making a concerted effort to visit downtown. One group came in and did a project in her store and were moving on to have dinner nearby.
“It’s been a challenge,” Walterbach said of the construction work.
Customers, especially those from out of town, are confused about where they can park, and sometimes about what coins they need to plug the meters in the lot behind her shop.
Joyce Bailey, of Oregon, had stopped in the store. She had a physical therapy appointment in town, and was taking time to do some shopping.
She said she was confused by where to park. She said she needed to remember to bring quarters next time. Still that wasn’t stopping her from planning to make a few more stops at shops on her way to her appointment.
Walterbach said she’s had to get creative to bring in trade. She’s offered special classes, and this weekend was having an anniversary sale.
Walterbach said she’d love to see the city do a parking holiday. The three-hour limit would stay, but customers would not have to plug the meters or visit the kiosks.
“It would send a great message,” Walterbach said. “It would just be really good will.”
Laura Wicks, of Grounds for Thought, seconded that idea. “That’s our number 1 ask,” she said. “That would show the city is supporting us during difficult times, so we can keep on carrying on.”
Once parked behind people have access to Main Street, and Grounds doesn’t mind if people pass through to get somewhere else, Wicks said.
As an established business Grounds probably hasn’t felt the pinch as much as other places.
“People make it a point to come in regardless,” said Monica Gonzalez, the general manager.
The closing of the downtown Panera hasn’t hurt either, said Wicks.
For Boby Mitov, the owner of Naslada, the effects are pronounced. The first question customers calling the restaurant ask is not about his specials, it’s: Are you open?
Take Monday, for example. Usually it’s a good night for him because so many other eateries are closed, but he did about half his usual business.
He figures he’s down at least 20 percent this summer.
And a week ago Friday was the slowest night he’s had during a Firefly Nights festival.
The event had to be moved from Main Street to Church Street. A scavenger hunt to bring folks to Main Street shops, who financially support the festival, had a little success, said Walterbach, one of the event’s founders.
She and Wicks said that an official decision on where the August festival will be has not yet been made, but it’s looking very likely that it will again be on Church Street.
Wicks said a decision has to be made soon, so organizers can secure their liquor permit.
Mitov added that Naslada has been closed four business days because of gas line work and water problems added more burden. He wants the city to give businesses a break on their utility bills to compensate for the losses.
Drew Weber, the manager at City Tap, said the restaurant was able to weather the water shutdowns because it has enough else to serve and brought water in. But smaller places were forced to close.
Access to the business has been the biggest problem. Even one of the owners found he had a hard time getting to a parking lot earlier in the week, he said.
Also, the noise and dust kicked up by the construction has been a detriment to businesses like City Tap that have patios or outdoors seating.
Weber also noted that moving Firefly Nights off Main Street meant a significant drop in business.
Vetter, of Downtown Bowling Green, said the city is offering 0-percent loans for up to $10,000 to help businesses who may be facing closure or layoffs because of the work.
Other measures are being considered, he said.
Halamay said that in Downtown BG’s discussions with the city, the estimate now is for the work to be completed at the beginning of October.
The construction company has promised that the street will “button up” the site for the Black Swamp Arts Festival, Sept. 6-8. That event brings tens of thousands to downtown.
Halamay said that means all the construction equipment would be removed. He’s not sure what else would be done.
The festival has weathered downtown construction before, notably the Heritage 2000 work almost two decades ago.
The scope of the current work at the very least “rivals” that, Halamay said. Craft said this is much worse.
As noted by several other businesses operators, the work is needed. Still Craft called it a “poorly done project.”
He and Halamay expressed sympathy for city officials who have been taking heat from the public because of the two-year construction.
“From a downtown standpoint, we’re very anxious to have the project completed,” Halamay said.
“Get it done,” Craft said. “Whatever it takes, get it done. The quicker the better.”
Looking forward to an October Firefly Nights back on a newly paved Main Street, Wicks said: “It will be amazing.”
