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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – New Albany’s Main Street renovation project has begun.
The aim of the project is to make the main road safer for pedestrians and bring in new businesses. But for some existing business owners, it has become a headache.
Christian Johnson owns the “Odd Shop” on Main Street.
Johnson said she is looking forward to the end of the project. She says the project is hurting her business, not just to see the end result.
“We’re in the middle of it, so we’re trying to reevaluate and put more things online when people can’t go to the store,” Johnson said. Our foot traffic is down.
Johnson said the work began a few months ago when water lines and other infrastructure were replaced.
Now street work is being done, and the shop is making an impact.
“I’ve looked back and compared other years and this is one of the worst summers we’ve had,” Johnson said. Or the worst summer we’ve ever had. I’m just saying, it was the worst summer as far as winters go.
That includes winters affected by Covid.
The store opened four years ago, and they’ve been in the Main Street location for about two years.
Johnson said his business is recovering from Covid, and the random road closures have kept people from finding and stopping at the store.
“Normally it’s all blocked, and people can’t stop when they see our sign,” Johnson said. And then in the confusion of it all I’m trying to find a place to stop.
Now they are taking their focus off the road and putting it online. They are using social media to reach their customers.
“It’s something we rely on now during construction, rather than foot traffic,” Johnson said.
Many Main Street businesses, including Johnson’s, said they are excited for the project to be completed. They think it will be good for the environment. Until then, it’s just a matter of survival.
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