Businesses struggle as downtown Concord construction delays continue

CONCORD, N.C. — Businesses in downtown Concord continue to struggle as a large-scale construction project seems to never end.

PAST COVERAGE: Downtown Concord construction prepares to enter next stage

Some business owners told Channel 9′s Jonathan Lowe they’re holding on for dear life, trying to remind customers the doors are still open after another delay in the project’s completion.

The business owners hope to reap rewards after the completion of the downtown Concord Streetscape Project, despite the sacrifices they’ve made.

“We’re doing the best we can and everyone’s doing their part to try to pull the community together and let people know that we’re still here,” said Dawon Millwood, owner of Local Bottle Shop.

Despite the challenges, Millwood and her wife saw an opportunity to launch Local Bottle Shop.

Local Bottle Shop is one of five businesses, which have opened along Union Street since January.

“We have a great vision and that’s part of the reason we decided to move down here, the expanded sidewalks, the outdoor seating,” Millwood said.

They learned this week the project was delayed again.

The city of Concord said due to weather and unforeseen issues with replacing 100-year-old clay pipes, completion of the heavy-duty portion of the project is expected to be on Sept. 14.

“Thankfully, we had a couple months that we’re gonna be able to be open without it being in front of us, and then as it moves in front of us,” Millwood said. “Our goal was to kind of make sure we already have a good client base to be able to carry us through.”

Statement from Concord:

“Our small businesses are truly what make our downtown so special. The streetscape project is our commitment to ensuring downtown is a vibrant community where our residents and businesses can thrive for generations to come. We are excited about the future but we understand this period of construction has been difficult. When updating 100-year-old infrastructure, there are unexpected challenges and while we never want those to impact our businesses, when they do, we work to get it resolved as quickly as possible. One of the best ways to support our small businesses is to continue to come downtown and shop small, dine at the local restaurants, and check out the live music, shows, and other events happening every week.”

VIDEO: Downtown Concord construction prepares to enter next stage