East side businesses send message that they are still open amid construction

Businesses near North Avenue and Farwell encourage customers to visit them despite the construction.

Currently, traffic on North Avenue between Humboldt and Farwell is westbound only as crews install new curbs, bus ramps, signage, and more.

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Progress, though, can be a tough road.

Since the work began, workers at Von Trier say they have seen a drop in customers.

Starting this week, the historic bar will close Monday and Tuesday nights. It will also close earlier on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. General manager Chris Shallop says this is challenging because Oktoberfest is usually a busy time for the tavern.

Watch: East side businesses send message that they are still open amid construction

East side businesses send message that they are still open amid construction

"We had to make a prudent business decision to close down on those nights just because the traffic wasn't there for us," Shallop explained.

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Off camera, some businesses told TMJ4 that they are seeing fewer customers while others are holding steady. Broadly, they say the construction is needed, and they do not have plans to change operations.

"I think our biggest issue right now is the DoorDash and Uber Eats drivers trying to get to us," said Leah Mailloux, who works at Yo Factory.

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Mailloux says business has not been too bad, and the frozen yogurt shop is operating as usual.

"Traffic will be a lot better, but right now, there are just lots of cars," Mailloux stated. "Not a lot we can really do. We can’t stop construction."

The construction project aims to make the road safer and more enjoyable.

In the meantime, the city has worked with the community to improve traffic flow, add signage, and communicate effectively. A spokesperson for the City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works explained that they are adding more signs and providing businesses with social media kits to inform the public.

"At the end of the day, as we know, this is going to be really good for the neighborhood," Shallop added. "We made it through a lot worse than this. We made it through COVID. We're going to make it through a tiny bit of construction."

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