Mifflin Street Community Co-Op, 32 N. Bassett St., may have to close despite increased sales earlier this spring, according to co-op member Leigh Weaver.
The roadwork on Johnson Street that has re-routed campus traffic since this summer has kept customers away from area businesses, she said. Members of the Co-Op will meet at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Madison Senior Center, 330 W. Mifflin St., to decide whether to close the store or save money by asking more people to volunteer their time working there.
\What we're asking the community is, 'should we keep trying?'"" Weaver said.
The co-op and many other area businesses look forward to the expected completion of roadwork Friday, but the project, now almost eight months long, has already affected their sales. Mohila Nateghi, owner of Caspian Caf?? & Catering, 17 University Square, said her business has been cut in half since last year.
""During the day, traffic has been horrible,"" she said. ""Who has three hours of lunch? I think everyone is suffering here.""
Mifflin is still riding a 14 percent increase in sales early this spring, the first time in 10 years it has seen such a rise, Weaver said, but the problem is its need to pay off a loan used for renovations it completed last year.
The co-op does not plan to raise more funds this year, she said, because organizers told members last year's efforts were their ""one chance to renovate the store"" and do not want to keep asking for money to keep the struggling store going.
Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz announced this summer he wants to help community grocery stores in the city and slow the increasing problems they have generating business.
""We're fighting that kind of a trend,"" said Melanie Conklin, spokesperson for the mayor's office.
Weaver doubts Cieslewicz's idea to boost community grocery stores in the city will help the co-op. She said he invited store owners to discuss their business problems but no plan came out of the meeting.
The mayor plans to ask the state Thursday to fine Parisi Construction Company for completing work about a month late, Conklin said, but Weaver said she also doubts the city will be able to compensate stores for lost business.
After the construction ends, stores in the State Street area will attempt to recover business with trolley rides and horse-drawn wagons, said Sandi Torkildson, president of the Greater State Street Business Association.
""Construction is just one of the things you have to live through,"" she said. ""It's like the weather.\
