MASON CITY, IA--
The last remnants of 16 months of construction are sticking to the area like residue, but the fact that drivers can now travel along 19th street could give a boost to nearby businesses. “I knew that the road being closed had an impact but I didn't realize how much till yesterday,” said Robert Thompson, the owner of nearby Trax Bar/Restaurant.You can blame a bad economy--or the road construction—either way, Thompson said business has been less than stellar the last several months. “It’s been really slow since we opened,” he said. “It hasn't been very busy, this summer was extremely slow.”
But he’s hoping the reopening of 19th street will bring more potential customers past the restaurant. If Friday is any indication of future business: things are looking pretty good. “Our business was up probably 25 percent,” said Thompson. “That was probably the busiest day we've had in eight months.”
The extra customers kept the kitchen busy--which Thompson at least partially attributes to the opening of the overpass “A lot of people were excited about the road being opened,” he said.
And then there are regulars like Mike Albrecht. He said he stops by about once a month. “Home cooking, good food, my dad won't let me bring him anywhere else in town, so this is where we go,” said Albrecht.
Albrecht lives nearby, so the construction didn't stop him from stopping in. He also said he hasn't really noticed more cars along the road since Friday--but said he's excited it's re-opened just the same. “We've been looking really forward to the bridge opening because it just makes everything cross town more accessible,” he said.
Thompson is hoping that extra accessibility means he'll be welcoming more customers. “Time will tell, but we're hoping it will continue being busy,” he said.
