Burlington businesses feeling strain from downtown construction

After days of rain and cloud cover, the sun finally shone down on the Queen City, just in time for Memorial Day celebrations.On the tail-end of a holiday weekend, and a 26.2-mile marathon through their streets, downtown businesses are counting their earnings. But business owners are having trouble getting customers through the door.”The foot traffic has definitely not been there,” said Paul Buschner, owner of A-Maize-Ing Kettle Corn.Buschner has been popping corn for over 20 years but in the last few, he made less cash. He saw a 30-40% drop in business this Memorial Day weekend.”From a historic perspective, I would say it’s been off,” Buschner said. “Last year was significantly reduced, too.”Buschner attributes this to the ongoing construction downtown. Something his neighbors echo.The Vermont Juice Company sits on Main Street, right in the middle of the construction project.”I think it’s a little confusing not having directions on where to go specifically,” said Summer McGuire, an employee of Vermont Juice Co.The traffic cones are not only keeping the shoppers away. Some businesses have been forced to shut their doors this summer after struggling to navigate the construction.The empty spots are giving places like the Pepper Palace their chance to succeed.”We’ve only been around since March,” said Pepper Palace’s Monte Jones. “Who’s to say that the parking and the traffic down there would increase our foot traffic down here if it weren’t going on?”Some businesses told NBC5 that they thank the Burlington community for continuing to shop local in this difficult time for them. The downtown Main Street construction project is slated to wrap by November 2026.

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