DOWNTOWN PROJECT: Signs May Boost Business

NOTICES AIM TO GIVE POSITIVE MESSAGE DURING CONSTRUCTION

By John Gore

Posted: November 21, 2009 at 4:58 a.m.

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ROGERS — Detour and road closed signs were put in place a couple of weeks ago warning motorists that intersections at Second and Cherry streets and Second and Elm streets are closed.

Traffc on the open parts of the marked streets vanished, hurting small businesses.

A businessman in one of the areas impacted by construction came to Mayor Steve Womack for help.

Womack said he knew the only downside to the project would be how it aftected the downtown businesses.

Womack looked at the situation and decided a change in signs might help.

“What I came away with was that the signage we have has a negative connotation, it’s all about closure,” Womack said.

The message the city wants to convey is more about what the city is doing, not about closings or detours.

“We want the message to be ‘We’re open for business, so come on in,’” Womack said.

After a meeting with several

“I had a nice conversation with a business owner who was very complimentary about the work we have going on, but was very concerned about the impact on business,” Womack said.

department heads Friday, Kerry Jensen, Main Street director, was asked to come up with more positive wording for signs. Frankie Guyll, street superintendent, was asked to get new signs up with a more positive message.

A new red sign with a positive message was in place by early afternoon Friday.

Most small business owners were glad city offcials took steps to improve the situation.

Bob Prince and Fred Emert of Bob and Fred’s barbershop on Second Street said the construction has hurt business.

“Our business is down about 50 percent,” Prince said, while Fred nodded in agreement.

A customer, sounding somewhat agitated, interjected he had trouble getting to the shop’s Second Street location because of the construction.

Jensen stopped by the shop earlier in the day to report new signs were going up.

“Anything they can do is better than what we have,” Prince said. Emert gave the new sign a thumbs up.

David Henry at Copy King on Second Street closer to Walnut than the barbershop, said he had noticed some slowing of business.

Frank Romeo, owner of Downtown Pipe and Tobacco, said he didn’t think the construction had much effect on his business.

“It may have actually helped a little,” Romeo said.

A meeting with downtown merchants is scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday in Womack’s office to see if there are other things the city can do to lessen the impact of the intersection project on business.

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