Now
Partly Cloudy
80.0°
High
88°
Low
66°
Full Forecast

Coupon

Jobs

Cars

Homes

Rentals

Alerts

Subscribe
Home > News > Local
Bookmark Us   •   Make Us Your Homepage

Some West O businesses hard hit by Harris Overpass work

Comments 33 comment(s)  
E-mail Story E-mail Story
Print Story Print Story
Share  Share
Text Size: 
Tools Sponsor

BY JEAN ORTIZ / Lincoln Journal star

Monday, Feb 04, 2008 - 05:32:59 pm CST

Nearly three months into construction on the Harris Overpass some West O businesses are showing signs of struggle, including one that has closed its doors for good.

Tobacco Hut, 1700 West O St., Suite 4, closed Thursday after eight years in business, owner Steven Etzold said.

The economy probably didn’t help matters, but the construction and disruption to traffic through the West O corridor is what hurt most, he said.

Story Photo
Steven Etzold, owner of Tobacco Hut at 1700 W. O St., is closing his business after a decline in customers. Etzold said he believes the construction on the Harris Overpass has diverted many of his customers. (Michael Paulsen)

Related Media

Harris Overpass work hard on some businesses

Employees of some businesses on West O Street have seen noticeable declines in traffic negatively affect their businesses, but they are doing what the...

Comments: 0
Rated:

Related Link(s):


Sound Off: Has the Harris Overpass closure kept you from going to West O businesses?

“The bridge pretty much took most of it,” he said.

The bridge that connects downtown with west Lincoln, carrying 26,000 vehicles a day over the rail yards, has been closed since Nov. 12.

Construction is on schedule, despite losing a day or two when temperatures turned extreme in recent weeks, said Larry Duensing, construction project manager. The project is due for completion late this fall.

But Etzold said he believed he couldn’t have held on that long, particularly after business dropped 50 percent in the last six weeks. The decision to close was literally made overnight, he said.

He’s heard rumblings of troubles from other businesses too.

Randy Haas, head of the West O Business Association, said the impact has been mixed.

Location and type of business are really the big factors separating the businesses that are getting by from those seeing harder times, he said. Businesses west of Sun Valley Boulevard haven’t seen as sharp a cut to the traffic flow than those businesses on the east side, for example, he said.

Haas said he had not heard about any business having to close. He was unaware of Tobacco Hut’s decision, he said.

Haas, who owns T.O. Haas Tire, said his business has actually been up a bit. He can only guess he’s captured more business from residents in the area who are now inconvenienced to head east, he said.

A Web site the association designed to drum up business, www.westocoupons.com, also has brought some customers through the door, he said.

The association also has $10,000 it plans to put toward advertising efforts this spring and plans to begin discussion this week about how to do that.

For some businesses, the lunch hour has proven the hardest hit.

That’s the case at Popeyes, where business has dropped about 30 percent or 40 percent, manager Matt Teppan said. It’s forced employees to cut back on the hours they work in a week, though hasn’t meant any layoffs, he said.

The Red Fox Steakhouse also has seen its lunch crowd shrink which brought on the need to layoff two employees, owner Don Arena said. He estimated his mid-day business — what he said he built his business on — has dropped about 20 percent, despite pumping about $5,000 into advertising, pushing specials and dropping prices.

“It’s just a tough go,” he said.

Business traditionally slows around this time of year, but never this severely, he said. What he can’t differentiate is how much of it is caused by the bridge work and how much blame goes to the economy.

But Arena has one more plan in the works: He plans to open a second location near Pine Lake Road and South 14th Street in a site occupied until recently by Slapshotz Bar & Grill.

He tentatively plans to call it The F.O.X. Restaurant Neighborhood Bar & Grill. It likely will feature a similar menu. He still has some remodeling to handle and to get it properly licensed, but it could be open by May 1, he said.

He hopes in the long run, the two locations will serve him well.

“It may be a bad time to be expanding with the economy, but I guess I still have to be aggressive,” he said.

Reach Jean Ortiz at 473-7107 or jortiz@journalstar.com.


$1 Sunday Delivery - Subscribe Today!
Local > Back to Top of Story

Post Your Comment

Standards and Rules
All posts to JournalStar.com are subject to our Terms and Standards.
Your posted comment will appear after it has been approved.
Frequently asked questions about story commenting.
(optional)
   
Hide Comments Hide Comments   Newest First Newest First  
Swanson wrote on February 4, 2008 3:48 pm:
" It's great news that the Red Fox is going to expand down to my neighborhood. I always enjoyed eating there when we lived in the West A area. "
Your Pal wrote on February 4, 2008 4:18 pm:
" Steve, you are still the best guy around! I just know that great things are coming your way...now...deal the cards....what'dya know...straight flush! "
Too high wrote on February 4, 2008 5:17 pm:
" Red Fox - prices too high, portions too low. Might be another reason for drop in business. Increase the portions or lower prices - your choice. "
Kevin wrote on February 4, 2008 5:34 pm:
" I live on 40th and South street area and I drive to West O for bowling on Fridays. I love that area and the Red Fox is a great place to eat and no constuction will stop me from going. I would rather go that way than out to the Pinelake and 14-27th areas. "
darren wrote on February 4, 2008 5:39 pm:
" Bring back the $5.95 steak special and I'll be back at the Red Fox weekly. "
I wonder wrote on February 4, 2008 6:34 pm:
" How is big red keno getting along? "
JT Hutt wrote on February 4, 2008 6:58 pm:
" The only thing "too high" at the Fox is the pour on their fabled Schooners. Welcome back to south Lincoln. I'll be there opening night for Schooners and Southside Cheesesteaks. "
Terry wrote on February 4, 2008 9:01 pm:
" Funny thing about this story.....If you ask anyone at the Chamber of Propaganda...er I mean Commerce, they'll tell you that there's no efect on the businesses on West O, and they are all thriving because of the construction. And of course that's the same line they gave before these businesses were doomed because of this project. You ain't seen nothin' yet! Just wait 'till more businesses and jobs are wiped out by the "progress" that's going to be forced on the folks around that bridge. "
Cole wrote on February 4, 2008 9:03 pm:
" Tobacco gone. Artery-clogging food on the ropes. Brand new overpass. Sounds like a trifecta. "
fake wrote on February 4, 2008 9:48 pm:
" you can try and blame all this on road construction and smoking bans but the truth is bush has the economy in ruins period "
Eric wrote on February 5, 2008 12:08 am:
" A tobacco store closing and blaming it on a bridge? Could it be that less people smoke today than even a couple years ago? I know it's true in my case. "
Eric H. wrote on February 5, 2008 2:29 am:
" Whoever thinks prices are too high at the Red Fox must be out of there minds. You can barely buy a steak for 5.95 in the grocery store. I live in Phoenix and have property in Lincoln, visiting there at least once a month. I always eat at the Fox, reasonable prices and great menu are very hard to find in Lincoln. Steaks for two and drinks down here is 100$ most places... get real and support your restaurants! "
Angela wrote on February 5, 2008 6:18 am:
" I've never been to the Red Fox but i've always wanted to go there. It's just, it's always been to far out of my way. I work near 27th and Pine Lake so I think it's great that the Red Fox is expanding and opening up close to where I work. I'll be there for sure! Congrats on the expansion and I hope things work out well for you! "
Mat wrote on February 5, 2008 7:57 am:
" For crying out loud, it is not that hard to get to the other side of O St. if you really wanted to. This is Lincoln after all, not Chicago. Get a grip. If you have a good business and loyal customers, then I suspect you will survive. Otherwise, close it up and start over. That's what America's economy is all about. "
D wrote on February 5, 2008 8:14 am:
" You can bet the overworked and overstressed ITI employees will love another watering hole down there. "
sunvalley worker wrote on February 5, 2008 8:26 am:
" I work in the westgate industrial park and must say, your typical lunch dives are extremely slow during noon hour. At some fast food joints it appears they laid off the wrong workers! And the fox still has more goin for it then any other place in the area. War a fox on the southside!!! "
Jimmy wrote on February 5, 2008 8:57 am:
" Darn, a tobacco shop is going out of business. Too bad. "
BYOB wrote on February 5, 2008 10:05 am:
" I closed amd lost my $250,000 business investment on west O st.
The city should have to pay for it, am I bitter? oh maybe just a little, losing your life savings isn't that big of a deal I guess.
"
Works wrote on February 5, 2008 10:49 am:
" I see no reason that business should not pick back up once baseball season starts back up in the Spring. The amount of traffic on SunValley Blvd, and O' st between SunValley and Hwy 77 is going to be huge. Times may be hard now, but lets see if these businesses are still suffering come June. "
SB wrote on February 5, 2008 11:00 am:
" I live in the west O area and I feel bad for the impact the loss of traffic is having on the businesses. However, I am impressed that the bridge is being built in one year. Just shows how important our roads and bridges are to our economy and our quality of life!! "
Worker wrote on February 5, 2008 12:16 pm:
" I work on about 11th and South. My boyfriend works over on Sun Valley. A lot of times we'd meet at Mr. Goodcents or El Comal or even further down to Val's on West O for lunch. Since the bridge is out, there's no point. An hour gets cut short if I drive down by the railroad tracks on 2nd street and get caught by a train (I believe) or if I drive through town and by Hay Market park. So I know I'm one less customer those businesses see due to construction. "
Jen wrote on February 5, 2008 12:40 pm:
" Wow, I wondered how long before you snooty non-smokers crawled out of the woodwork. I don't smoke anymore, however, I still stopped there on my way home from work numerous times because that's the closest place to me that sells that gigantic incense sticks. Plus, Steve's a super-nice guy, which would make many people go out of their way to stop in. So cool it with the whole tobacco angle. There are more things to life than that! "
Theresa wrote on February 5, 2008 2:31 pm:
" It's really too bad. I started shopping at Sunmart instead of the Hyvee on 27th. "
Good wrote on February 5, 2008 2:39 pm:
" I hope the Red Fox goes out of business. The food has no flavor and you have to take out a loan to afford the stuff. Stay on West O. If you want to help out open another Outback. "
Brian in Lincoln wrote on February 5, 2008 2:58 pm:
" Why would it be the city's fault that the bridge was old, worn, and dangerous? They took the federal money to fix it and made a good choice in doing so. West O is a hole and will only improve if big changes are made....If the smoke shop is such a good deal, move locations!!!! Heck, he had 3-4 locations in town over the last few years anyway. They all had ample time to figure out what they were going to do when the bridge was being replaced, just like when O street was being redone a few years ago, the best businesses survived because they were ran properly and were good businesses!!! "
Matt wrote on February 5, 2008 3:12 pm:
" I'm sorry you lost your life savings on a bad business investment, but that is why they call it a risk. Surely you have some prior business training and you are aware of the challenges facing new business investments. Somebody has to lose if others are winning.

Why should the government bail you out? Everyone wants to make a quick buck in this country but no one wants to pay for their own losses or bad decisions. "
Downtown Worker wrote on February 5, 2008 4:21 pm:
" I work downtown and still make it to West O for an occasional lunch. It seems to actually be faster to take L Street to the Bypass and then back east on O Street rather than hitting all the lights through downtown to head west on O. "
Whatever wrote on February 5, 2008 4:45 pm:
" "super nice guys" don't profit from selling death. "
zmahnk wrote on February 5, 2008 5:55 pm:
" Are you saying "Super Nice People" have to be non smokers or not sell smokes at stores? I am a non smoker finally, and last I remember it is a choice to smoke. Don't rip on someone for trying to make a livin! "
T4acres wrote on February 5, 2008 6:49 pm:
" And it's also a shame about that livery stable that had to close downtown so that they could put in the trolley tracks! (just a little historical parable, please check with the fine Mr. McKee for accurate information). Any city MUST keep up its infrastructure in order to survive and grow. Lincoln will be significantly improved after the relatively short duration of this important construction project has passed. "
Journalism 101 wrote on February 5, 2008 8:13 pm:
" Back when I was young, newspapers used to mean something. They played an important role in political discourse. Today, they simply fan flames in hopes of generating heat and smoke, caring not that the smoke obscures the issues. In this grand tradition, the typical street improvements/construction, etc... is bad for business article. We usually see a few of these prior to construction, and then again during construction. As a business owner who had had to struggle through limited access and less traffic and more inconvenience due to a major street widening project, I resent these articles. Business associations, city employees, and contractors are typically very attentive and up front about timelines, alternate routes, and communication in general. After all of the heavy lifting done by both the private and public sector to make sure everyone is aware of whats to happen, on the same page, etc.. , the paper comes along and finds the inevitable grump who tries to cast a bad light on the whole works. Its sad. The city couldn't survive or begin to prosper without regular road and bridge repair, maintenance, and expansion. To pretend otherwise is ridiculous. Welcome to Journalism in the 21st century. Somewhere, H.L. Mencken is alternately laughing/crying his eyes out. "
JR wrote on February 5, 2008 9:25 pm:
" It's those dang nabbit impact fees, I tell ya ... that's what's causing all this ruckus ... razzle frazzle drazzle drits ... why, I'm so spitting mad I feel like complaining about the snow removal ... "
Shelly L. wrote on February 5, 2008 11:18 pm:
" You people that complain about the bridge being out and think it's rediculous don't seem to understand that we could have also had a crisis on our hands like what happened in minnesota. Lincoln is still somewhat small and loss of life, especially on a large scale like that would be absolutely devastating to our city and families.That bridge HAD TO come down for the safety of the people. I used that bridge alot also for driving AND walking across but I'm glad they made the decision to replace it. I think we should all count our lucky stars that nothing tragic DID happen in all these last years that I and many others considered it a safety concern. "

Ads by Yahoo!