Summertime Business Blues

It's summertime and unfortunately, business isn't easy. (For those interested, I can't imagine a version of "Summertime" better than Billy Stewart's. Listen here if you've never heard it. Now to get off my musical high horse...)

For those interested in another couple articles about the problems inflicted to Waxhaw businesses because of the construction at Broome Street and Hwy 75, your long wait is over. For those who've seen and heard enough, quit reading until my next post.

See the new issue of the Waxhaw Exchange to see Sherri Phengchard's story or WCNC has their own story (with video) on the issue as well.

And the one common theme running through both of them and others I've caught on the evening news is that business is bad, and none are complaining about it more than Southsiders.

Putting myself in their shoes, I can understand at some point thinking the continued reminders about bad business might help speed construction work. However, at some point, I would think becoming the go-to business for complaining about the downtown construction would begin to pay negative dividends. Even a buddy of mine who frequents Southsiders much more frequently than me thought their tact in dealing with the situation left something to be desired.

A better, more positive way to handle this situation would have been to run some construction specials or events to get customers in the door, not tell everyone you'll have to cut back on the hours of single moms. (See here for my post on this.) If they are doing these kinds of things, I haven't heard about it.

And at this late date, with construction slated to end on August 8th, they are still in nearly every article or news clip devoted to business conditions following the start of construction. While I'm sure part of this is because local media is now well aware they can go to Southsiders to hear about the negative effects of the construction work, I think it would be best suited for Southsiders to let it go at this point. With only two weeks to go at this point, at least according to the date provided by the town's website, what kind of benefit do they receive by continuing to complain about it?

Is there any other businesses who continues to harp on this? Not that I can tell. And I can't imagine I'm the only one getting slightly irritated by it.