These are shots of our beautiful riverfront and the main thoroughfare running by our downtown shopping district, our shop was half a block from here. You can see how the roads are impassable. Our city, over a week after the waters receded, still has not removed the mud from the road, which has added to the traffic snarl in the downtown. All of the free parking on the riverfront and leased parking was under water contributing to our already stressed parking problem. You have low-rent housing that takes up our spaces and for the life of me, I don't understand why some businesses and their employees park in front of their stores and mine...all I can say is 'lil' bitty brains'...This is the reason Lorie and I are closing our store, there is nowhere for a shopper to park. I have heard it over and over again by the locals who would shop downtown but there is no where to park. When asking city officials when are you going to clear the parking, they say we have more pressing issues. They are creating the death of a beautiful historic downtown, 17 empty storefront and more on the way. This is nothing new in the retail world, but my hope is someday the overpaid city officials will see the big picture...WHATEVER...
