Construction disruptions are alienating customers from small businesses in downtown New Albany. Sew Fitting owners saw the construction of Main Street, calling it a “crazy landscape” of gravel, concrete and barriers. “It’s always chaotic,” owner Shysa Kubley told WLKY. “When you look across the street, you don’t even know the businesses here are open. Days when you might have one or two customers,” said owner Dan Hardesty. “Before, he averaged 20 to 30.” Many small business owners agree that those numbers are not sustainable. That’s why New Albany City Council member Al Knable is proposing a “Main Street Revival Survival Fund” to help. Main Street Revitalization Project. The idea is to help the store stay afloat long enough to profit from the construction.”I don’t want to see a great street in a few months.What we have as business owners is, ‘This is over.’ Are you going to profit from it when the time comes?'” Hardesty said. “Without help, I don’t think we’ll be able to see it. The City Council plans to put the resolution to a vote at its next meeting on December 15. Historic Main Street Revitalization Project Phase 2 of is expected to be completed by spring.
Construction disruption is alienating customers from small businesses in downtown New Albany.
The owner of Sew Fitting called the construction on Main Street a “crazy landscape” of gravel, concrete and barriers.
“It’s always chaotic,” owner Shysa Kubley told WLKY. “I can’t even tell if the shops here are open even if I look across the street.”
Downtown New Albany is open for business, despite an ongoing Main Street revitalization project. But the pandemic, repeated bridge closures, and years of construction have seen sales drop by 30-45% for many local businesses.
So is Eureka Menswear next to Sew Fitting.
“Some days we had one or two customers,” says owner Dan Hardesty. “Before, we averaged 20 to 30.”
Many small business owners agree that these numbers are not sustainable. That’s why New Albany City Councilman Al Knable is proposing the Main Street Revival Survival Fund to help.
He wrote a resolution to the city council petitioning to designate $500,000 for American Rescue Plan funding to help downtown businesses adversely affected by the Main Street Revitalization Project. The idea is to help the shop stay afloat long enough to profit from the construction.
“We don’t want to see a nice cityscape in a few months. We drive into buildings and empty buildings and there’s no business for us,” Knable said.
“The worry we have as business owners is, ‘Are we there to reap this benefit at this end?'” Hardesty says. “Without help, I don’t think we can see it.”
“We put all our blood, sweat, tears, and livelihoods into making this community what it is,” Kubley said. “We are asking the city to help us step up and keep it going.”
The City Council will vote on the resolution at its next meeting on December 15th.
Phase 2 of the Historic Main Street Revitalization Project is expected to be completed by spring.
