The road construction on Hazeltine Avenue and Baker Street has caused significant distress for Peter Weinreich, the franchise owner of the 7-Eleven convenience store located at 321 Hazeltine Ave. Weinreich expressed his frustration over the losses his business has suffered in the last two months due to the ongoing construction. The road construction, which began on June 27 and is expected to be completed by the end of August, has resulted in a decrease in store sales of over $100,000.
Weinreich highlighted the impact of the road closures on his business, stating that the City Department of Public Works has blocked 66 percent of the streets leading to his store, leaving only the smallest street open with inadequate signage. This has led to confusion among customers, with some believing that all the businesses in the area are closed. The lack of access to the store has severely affected its revenue, causing Weinreich to consider cutting staffing hours to cope with the financial losses.
The road construction project, designed by city Public Works engineers and funded by Chautauqua County, aims to transform the intersection near Persell Middle School from a ‘Y’ shape to a ‘T’ shape. This redesign is intended to improve traffic flow and safety by narrowing the intersection and forcing drivers to slow down when turning onto Hazeltine Avenue from Baker Street. While the project is expected to benefit the community in the long run, Weinreich’s immediate concern is the negative impact it has had on his business.
Despite experiencing consistent growth in previous years, Weinreich’s store has seen a sharp decline in sales since the start of the road construction. He mentioned that his business made over $3 million in sales last year, leading to the addition of more staff to each shift. However, the current situation has forced him to reduce employee hours in an effort to mitigate the financial strain caused by the construction.
Weinreich expressed uncertainty about the future of his business, questioning whether it can survive the ongoing road construction. He emphasized the need for a resolution to the issue and called for better communication and support from the city authorities. Efforts to reach out to the Jamestown Department of Public Works for comment have not yielded a response at the time of writing.
In conclusion, the road construction on Hazeltine Avenue and Baker Street has had a detrimental impact on the 7-Eleven franchise store owned by Peter Weinreich. The disruption caused by the construction has led to significant financial losses and operational challenges for the business. As the construction project nears completion, it remains to be seen how Weinreich and his store will recover from the setbacks they have faced during this difficult period.
