The downtown business district has been affected by two different kinds of flood this year—floods of water, and floods of traffic.
With the state rebuilding two bridges on nearby Missouri 10, hundreds of cars have been using an alternate route that takes them right through the heart of downtown.
It’s affected different businesses in different ways.
“The traffic has improved business,” said Molly Roberts, who owns Molly Roberts Studio. “I’ve had a lot of people come in who didn’t even know we were here before. They were thrilled, and said they’d be back.”
Roberts, who sells paintings, sculptures, handmade jewelry and dozens of other items at her shop at 109 W. Broadway Ave., said the extra cars don’t always pay off immediately. Commuters and other passing motorists may not have time to shop, but they remember what they saw.
“I think that’s what’s happening,” she said. “On Saturdays, I see people come through that didn’t stop during the week, and I hope it pays off a long way down the road. My hope is that people will discover us and not forget us.”
Roberts added that her bottom line has gotten a substantial boost, and nearby at Mind, Body & Soap, Darla Miller agrees that the extra traffic has not been detrimental to business.
“It hasn’t hurt us one bit,” said Miller, who sells handmade soaps, clothing and a vast array of always-changing inventory in her shop at 105 W. Broadway Ave. “I’ve had some people stop in who have never been here before—and some of them live right here in Excelsior Springs.”
However, she added that one aspect of the extra traffic did cause a downturn in downtown. “I can’t understand why they moved Waterfest out of downtown,” she said, pointing out that the BBQ and Fly-In on the River is relocating this year to Thompson Avenue instead of all the way out at the Excelsior Springs Memorial Airport, as Waterfest did. “That’s a big day for us, and we got nothing this year.”
That’s what Amy Iman Bellis said, down the street at Bliss, 217 E. Broadway Ave.
“They moved Waterfest, which is our largest weekend,” she said. “That did not benefit business downtown at all.”
To read more, check out the print edition or e-edition of the Tuesday, July 14, Standard.