Walker urges people to keep businesses in mind through season
By DONNA THORNTON, Editor
You may have noticed that there’s heavy parking lot reconstruction work underway at the old Boaz Outlet Center.
But the shops, restaurants and businesses located there want you to know: They are open and anxious to see customers.
The project is taking place between Alabama Highway 168 and Billy Dyar Boulevard, and Elizabeth and McClesky streets. Some of the main entrances remain closed, but there are signs to direct you to places to get into the center.
The work to repair the parking lot began Oct. 20. It’s not just a scrape-off-the-old-pavement-and-put-down-new job. There’s deep digging to put in drainage pipes, and it’s taking time to complete.
In the meantime, that work is digging into business, some local merchants said, with a lot of the parking area fenced off, and a general appearance that might make some drive on by, assuming nothing is open.
Tiffany English owns Morgan House Delicatessen, located inside the Alabama Firearms Academy. There are 30 available parking spots in front of the building – none of them immediately in front of her restaurant.
“I looked out one day and there were 31 people in the deli,” she said. Some probably came in the same car, she supposed, but if, say, 20 of those cars were her customers, it would leave only 10 spaces for the other businesses in the building. That was a good business day at the deli. Some days have not been so good.
While English is optimistic about the outcome, she noted there have been six restaurants that closed in Boaz. “I don’t want to be the seventh,” she said.
Jessica Smith works at The 19th Hole, in the same building but closer to Highway 168. Those 30 parks are in front of the restaurant/golf simulator. It’s had less of an impact on them, she said, but she knows this is Phase 1 of the project. The next phase will likely take away their close parking spots.
English, Smith and Mary Riddle, who owns Grumpy’s Restaurant, are grateful for the work being done, and for the work the City of Boaz and the Chamber have done to try to offset any loss of business for them. In addition to their restaurants, Priscilla’s Pizza operates out of a building south of the one housing Alabama Firearms Academy. It’s parking has been impacted, too.
“The mayor is doing all he can do to help us, putting up signs. The Chamber of Commerce is doing all they can to help,” Riddle said. She appreciates the Chamber’s work to get signs up.
Parking in front of Grumpy’s and TnT Trinkets & Treasures is blocked by the paving work, and it’s limited at Frank’s Thunder Alley. Still, Riddle said, unless people have problems walking, it’s not too far down the sidewalk to the restaurant, open regular hours, 6 a.m.-2 p.m., for breakfast and lunch.
“We have loyal customers,” she said. If anyone can’t get to there, Riddle said, if they call the staff will help them. Business has slowed a little since work started, but the restaurant is doing OK, and she’s looking ahead.
“It will be beautiful when it’s done,” Riddle said. “Nobody can help it. It’ll be done when it’s done.” She, English and Smith said the paving crews have been working hard, even in the rain some days.
Alabama Firearms Academy’s Jared Meeks said the work appears to be ahead of schedule, but he expressed frustration. He said he wishes there had been better planning, perhaps so business wasn’t disrupted at the busiest shopping time of the year.
Like many retailers, he relies heavily on the Christmas shopping season and the parking lot situation has hurt it this year.
“We need the support of one who can give it,” Meeks said, “or we might not make it. It’s hard to give up your Christmas revenue.”
Young Financial has only been open in the location a few months, Jacob Young said, and since the work started, it’s been a challenge to get people into the business.
He said it’s especially tough at lunch time, and Thursday and Friday nights when the 19th Hole is busy.
“It’s great for them, but it makes it impossible for me to have a meeting after hours.”
“I’m grateful it’s happening,” Riley Young said, because the parking lot certainly needed work. But clearly, both Youngs wish something could be done to alleviate the issues they face now. Someone from the city “could at least come by and see what they could do to help,” Jacob said.
They know, too, that this is a project planned under the previous administration, and the current one must deal with its execution.
Boaz Mayor Tim Walker said the city is working to help the local merchants whose businesses are feeling the impact.
“The project is at the old Boaz Outlet Center. We’re rebranding that – that’s something we’re doing,” he said of his administration. “It’s not going to be an outlet center anymore. It’s going to be retail shopping and recreation.” There are several restaurants there, and the new city recreation center is on the south end, he said.
The rebranding is a fitting change for the area. When it was the Boaz Outlet Center, big box retailers sent overstock merchandise there for discount sales.
As some of these business owners pointed out, the area is now home to locally-owned shops and restaurants dependent on their neighbors and local patrons to help them through this tough time.
Work has been done under a previous project to rehab some buildings, but Walker said the parking lot was not tackled then.
Under a different project, the plan was devised to take care of drainage issues there. “It’s in a swell,” Walker said, with new piping, some curb and gutter, and brand new asphalt.
“That whole area is going to be new again,” the mayor said.
“We’ve got a lot of great businesses there,” Walker said. “What I’m asking people to do is to make a little extra effort to patronize the businesses there now. They’re going to face some struggles with parking and things like that. It’s going to be wonderful once it’s done.”
But during the construction over the next few months, “I’m asking people to patronize those businesses, maybe more than normal,” he said. That way, those businesses will have no problems, he added.
He’s using social media and news outlets to try to help.
Walker said he didn’t know when the work might be complete.
English recalled the contracts, which began Oct. 20, gave crews 180 days to complete the work. That would take it almost to May.
Meeks said he’s been told Phase I could be done by mid-December.
Work continues last week on a project to reconstruct the parking lot at the old Boaz Outlet Center between state Route 168, Billy Dyar Boulevard and Elizabeth and McClesky streets. The center’s businesses remain open. DONNA THORNTON l The Leader
