Falls Road Construction Bogs Down Business

For businesses along Falls Road near Mount Washington associated with replacing water mains has become a drag on commerce.

The construction, which in recent days has forced traffic to rotate going one-way near Kelly and Mattfeldt avenues, has made getting to the shops a difficult proposition. 

Paul Schiffbauer, owner of the Curb Shoppe Bar and Grill, said that his lunch business is down by 50 percent because of the construction. He said lunch represents about 40 percent of his overall business.

Schiffbauer said many of his diehard customers are still coming to eat but some of his patrons, like those who would come from Sinai Hospital, are choosing not eat there because of the traffic.

“It’s the people that have an hour to eat that won’t risk coming down here,” Schiffbauer said.

Michele Blanchard, of Michele Blanchard Design Gallery, has also experienced a decline in people just stopping by to check out the store.

“Now I don’t get the walk-in traffic that I would get,” Blanchard said.

Even though there are spaces in a parking lot just down the street, she said the traffic prevents people from trying to get into the lot. 

Blanchard said she has a solid base of customers who will buy her clothing, but that she is looking forward to the construction ending.

“I’ll just be glad when it’s over,” she said.

John Horton, an employee at said things have been slow especially with work being done directly in front of the store this week.

“We’re not seeing much walk in and the people that are coming are saying how hard it is to get in here,” Horton said.

But the merchants are trying to take everything in stride.

Schiffbauer, who has run the Curb Shoppe for 18 years, said Falls Road has closed before and that they’ve made it through.

He said crews are obviously working as hard and as fast as they can through a long process, and that they’ve stopped in to eat and support his business.  

But he said he was still looking forward to the end of the construction that is supposed to last throughout the summer.

“I hope for good weather,” Schiffbauer said.

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Has the construction along Falls Road stopped you from shopping at these businesses? Let us know in the comments.