Street work affects businesses

To the editor:

Construction on Broadway is negatively affecting business. At least two businesses, Wille's Bakery and California Juice Club, have seen the side effects.

When Broadway construction began, the Wille family of Wille's Bakery went on vacation and shut down their business for 11 days to pass the major part of the expected lost business time. When they returned, business was so slow they shut down for another three days and cut back their business hours to seven a day from 12. Even though their business has been cut in half, they have not been told they will be compensated for lost revenue.

The California Juice Club experienced a 20-percent drop in business, but the most significant revenue blow came from the telephone line disconnection. This lasted two weeks, and telephone calls had to be rerouted from the business phone to the owner's cell phone. According to Kostas Demopoulos, the owner, this resulted in a 50-percent decline in business after being told by those involved in the construction process that he wouldn't have one interrupted business day. Demopoulos has not been told he will receive any compensation for lost revenue.

It would be sad to hear of businesses going under because they city didn't care to protect the interests of Broadway businesses.

I propose a remedy for city officials: Let the businesses hire an independent auditor to decide how much money the city should compensate for the businesses' lost profits.

AARON DOHOGNE, Cape Girardeau