TACOMA, Wash — Some small business owners say light rail construction that will connect Tacoma's Hilltop neighborhood to downtown is hurting their bottom line.
Bill Johnson is a candy maker at Johnson’s Candy Company. His father owns the shop, which employees said has served Tacoma since 1925. Johnson said street closures and construction equipment are taking a toll on business.
“Our biggest concern is that people will have the impression that the area is very difficult to get to and will stop coming here,” said Johnson.
So the company took matters into their own hands. One employee launched a Facebook campaign with the help of the Progressive Student Union at the University of Washington, Tacoma called “Support Johnson Candy Company.” It urges customers to help save Johnson’s by coming into the store to buy candy over the next month.
Johnson said the campaign seems to be working.
“Every day people come in and say they saw the Facebook thing,” he said. “It’s been great.”
Customer Ann Bickel saw the campaign on Facebook and said she has visited the store three times since then.
“If I’m called to service to keep it open, I’m happy to do that,” she said smiling.
Sound Transit spokesman Scott Thompson said the project will continue until 2022. Thompson said the transit agency has been working to help businesses impacted by the construction by posting signs showing they are open. He also said businesses can sign up for a program called “Loyal to the Local,” which promotes businesses along the expansion route during construction.
“There have been some traffic impacts,” Thompson admitted. “But we’ve done a good job I think of trying to keep traffic moving through that area.”
David Combs, who owns a t-shirt printing shop next door to Johnson’s Candy Company, helped spread the word about the Facebook campaign. He said he would like to see Sound Transit and the city of Tacoma do more for small business owners struggling during construction.
“They need to do some creative things, ways to offset the lost revenue,” said Combs. “Until we get to that point, we’re going to see some of these businesses continue to suffer.”