AKRON — Some downtown Akron business owners say that ongoing street and sidewalk closures are taking a toll on their bottom line as major construction projects continue to reshape the area.
Ed Sutter, owner of Eddie's Famous Cheesesteaks on South Main Street, said foot traffic has slowed noticeably over the past month — right around the time a “Sidewalk Closed” sign went up across from his restaurant.
“We don’t need roadblocks — or shall I say, sidewalk blocks,” Sutter said.
Just outside Eddie’s, part of the Main Street sidewalk remains blocked off as work continues on the historic Ohio Building. Across the street, Bowery Street — a key route through downtown — is also closed to traffic.
“It seems like something minor,” Sutter said. “But everybody is in a ‘now world.’ Everything happens in a split second. They don’t want to cross three different streets when they could just walk straight.”
Sutter said he’d like to see scaffolding installed so pedestrians can safely pass through instead of being forced to detour.
“The simple question is, what’s the reason we can’t have the sidewalk open? Because this isn’t a two-month project — it’s a one-year project,” he said.
Sutter added that Mayor Shammas Malik recently stopped by Eddie’s for lunch and listened to his concerns.
“I’m waiting to get a return message of some sort as to what happened with the conversations with the construction company,” Sutter said.
Despite the challenges, Sutter said business hasn’t come to a halt — the grills are still hot, and construction workers nearby often stop in for a bite.
He hopes more people will keep supporting downtown Akron businesses.
“There’s so much going on in downtown Akron,” he said. “Don’t let a little thing like this get in the way of visiting.”
News 5 reached out to the City of Akron for comment and is still waiting to hear back.
