It’s been months of construction on Ayers St. in Corpus Christi, but after almost one year, residents and local businesses must continue to wait.
Delays are due to unforseen underground utility work, but small businesses on Six Points say it’s hurting their pockets.
For nearly 80 years, Price’s Chef has been a go to destination on Six Points.
"We come once a week regularly," says loyal customer Bruce Gambill.
But for the last year, combined construction on Ayers St., Alameda St. and Staples St. is turning away business.
With the construction, If you’re not really looking for us, you’re going to have to go out of your way to search for us," says Price’s Chef manager Alex Guerrero.
Manager Alex Guerrero says since last summer, they have lost about 20 percent of sales.
This decline has forced them to make changes.
“We had to cut some staff, have less employees working on certain days," says Guerrero.
Across the street, Hester’s Café is also feeling the impact.
"The area under the construction is an eye sore,” says Hester’s Café owner Jason Rodriguez.”It tends to look like the businesses are empty."
They have lost about 12 percent of sales and say they’re surviving by updating their customers on through social media.
"The detouring, the routing changing, the one-way traffic, it used to be two-way, can be confusing, and once our guest figure out how to get to us it could change again."
As businesses wait for construction to end, they are taking it one day at a time.
"We made it over the hump,” says Guerrero. “We have a little bit of parking up front now which makes things a little bit easier."
Thankful, for their loyal customers.
"You live with it, I just find other ways around things,” says Steven Gambill.
After a few delays, contractors are aiming for late August, early September to complete the project.
Businesses are encouraging local’s to have patients and continue to support small business.
