PORT ANGELES — Many business owners near the Eighth Street bridges are breathing a sigh of relief as their customer base returns nearly two weeks after the newly built concrete structures were reopened.
“Most days have doubled,” said Anami Cloud, West Side Video and Tan manager.
“We were just barely hanging on by the skin of our teeth.”
Clint Darrow, owner of Van Goes Pizza and Mexican at 814 S. C St., said: “The difference is between night and day.”
The bridges that span two ravines on Eighth Street opened on Feb. 24 — about 1¬½ years after demolition of the old wooden trestle bridges began in summer 2007.
Detour routes during construction diverted traffic, and therefore potential customers, away from businesses near the bridges.
Specials
In celebration of the two bridges opening, West Side Video and Tan, located at 903 W. Eighth St., offered a rent-two-new-releases-rent-a-third-movie-free deal last Saturday.
Sabai Thai is also planning a celebration of its own to reintroduce people to the restaurant at 903 W. Eighth St.
Gallen Hammond, marketing director for the restaurant, said an open house is in the works for sometime in the next two weeks.
Hammond said the open house will involve free samples of the restaurant’s upcoming new menu items and expanding wine list.
He said he hopes that the opening of the bridges will lead to a revitalization of what he called “uptown Port Angeles.”
“We’ve had a small increase in business so far,” Hammond said.
“It’s not huge like it used to be. I think people are slowly coming back.”
Other businesses, such as Page Turners Etc. at 901 S. C St., are also finding ways to entice customers inside.
Terry Smithton, owner of the book store, placed a sign outside her door advertising 20 percent off hardbound books.
“I’m trying to take advantage of anything to get people to stop,” she said.
But Smithton said she wouldn’t be surprised if drivers haven’t become accustomed to the new bridges being open.
Since they have opened, she said she has inadvertently taken the previous detour onto Marine Drive.
“People have to get used to it,” Smithton said with a laugh.
Over on the other side of the two bridges, at 112 E. Eighth St., the St. Vincent De Paul thrift store is seeing its customer base slowly pick up again.
“We’ve had some good days and some average days,” said Barb Townsend, store manager.
In between the two bridges, Steven Bridge said he is expanding hours at his three businesses, a burger grill, tanning salon and laundromat.
“Busy is a good problem at this point in time,” he said.
“We’ve doubled. We’ve at least doubled. So that is a good thing.”
Free burger
Since the bridges opened, Bridge has been awarding 10 customers who were the closest to guessing the structures’ opening date with a free burger meal.
One of those winners, Jordan Johnson, 18, came to Eighth Street Bridge’s Grill to pick up his winnings on Thursday during his lunch hour at Port Angeles High School.
Johnson’s guess of Feb. 23 was one day short from the actual date.
“I really took my time in guessing,” he said.
“I usually go with my first instinct.”
________
Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
