- Michigan Avenue construction paused for the holiday season.
- Local businesses excited for increased foot traffic and sales.
- Fabiano's Candies owner reports initial sales boost.
- Triple Goddess Books sees benefits from re-opened streets and free parking.
- Construction is to resume in March next year.
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It's a sight some neighbors haven't seen in months.
"It's been difficult," Steve Blair said.
Steve Blair is the owner of Fabiano's Candies. He told me the construction along Michigan Avenue hurt businesses like his.
"We did see a little bit of less traffic which means less sales," Blair said.
But just in time for the holiday season and neighbors beginning their gift shopping, they've gotten a gift of their own.
"It's going to be a lot easier for those people to get here now that Michigan Avenue is open," Blair said.
Construction here on Michigan Avenue is paused for the next several months.
Blair says he is already seeing the benefits.
"Christmas time we do specialties, we make homemade candy canes and ribbon candy. It is going fast," Blair said.
Further down the street, some businesses saw the same kind of impact.
"When they started at the end of June to rip off the street in front of us between Fairview and Leslie that was pretty tough because that's right in front of us," Coe said.
Co-owner of Triple Goddess Bookstore Alan Coe says construction took away a valuable CATA bus line and slowed foot traffic. But with the free parking right out front open again.
"We want to take advantage of that and take care of people during the Christmas season. People tend to give really nice books as presents," Coe said.
With local businesses excited for things to go back to normal.
"Now that we're open that is now all behind us at least until next spring," Blair said.
The construction is expected to start again in March.
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