Road Closure Leaves Some Grand River Businesses With Fewer Than Half Their Usual Customers

A large stretch of Grand River Avenue has been closed for much of the summer for construction, diverting potential customers away from businesses located on East Lansing’s busiest street. 

Grand River Avenue is shut down between Gunson Street and Woodmere Avenue while the city replaces old water mains to prepare for a major sewer project that should reduce flooding during large storms. Construction is expected to continue through most of July.

While construction takes place, the road closure has blocked off the main entrances to several establishments located along Grand River. To access these businesses, customers have to take side streets to enter through secondary entrances. Some impacted business owners and employees say they have seen fewer than half of the customers they do in a typical summer and have had to make adjustments like reducing the number of hours they are open or having fewer employees work each shift.

With main access points closed off to the public, several establishments along Grand River have experienced a loss in consumer traffic. Admiral Petroleum Co Manager Yahya Aljaloov said the station has experienced a 70% loss in business. 

“We’ve lost too much money,” Aljaloov said in an interview on July 2. “We are [currently] losing 30 cents per gallon.”

Just two doors down from Admiral, Valvoline Instant Oil Change is facing a similar reduction in business at more than 50%, according to their manager Blake. 

“People have had to find the side streets to get here and not everyone knows them,” Blake said. “We got hit pretty hard.” 

For restaurants like Qdoba and McDonald’s, the flow of customers has been slower than past summers. As a result, Qdoba has begun to close an hour early at 8 p.m. According to employee Grant Alhar, business is so slow it just isn’t worth staying open the extra hour.

“The amount that we’re making during the in-between times is not cost effective to stay open the extra hour later,” Alhar said. 

Both businesses are also scheduling fewer workers each day, Alhar and McDonald’s employee Kendyl Carter said. 

“Right now, for example, there’s only four of us [working],” Carter said. “In the summertime last year there were around six of us here. It was for sure busier at that time.” 

Bell’s Pizza Owner Habib Jarwan said the loss of customers during the first few days of construction was jarring. 

“The first few days we had like five customers,” Jarwan said. “It impacted us greatly. It was very, very tough.”

Residents began supporting Bell’s by making posts in Facebook groups like Greater Lansing Area Moms and Lansing Foodies, and Bell’s saw a surge in traffic as a result.

“I was surprised how much the community has shown us love,” Jarwan said. “They actually keep posting to support us, which is very nice. I’m very thankful for that, but still it’s very hard and slower than normal days.” 

The social media attention has given Bell’s a boost in business, but Jarwan still said there is about a 20% decrease in customers compared to last summer.

“I can survive with that,” Jarwan said. “But more than that, I would have to close my doors.”

The City of East Lansing has also posted to its social media pages and website to provide information on how to access businesses while construction is in progress. According to Communications Director Carrie Sampson, the Downtown Development Authority is working in conjunction with the Downtown Management Board to publicize the businesses located on Grand River while construction is in progress. 

“We’re trying to reiterate with the community to really stay alert [while in the area],” Sampson said. “[We want to] emphasize that people may need to use patience and good will.”

However, several establishment owners in the area would like to see a greater response from the city to support their businesses. Jarwan said more signage along the alternate routes would help customers reach businesses like his. He put up his own signs along side streets to help customers find Bell’s.

“I would like the city to have a sign with names for all [the] businesses on it, not just for me,” Jarwan said. “They have a sign by Hagadorn saying ‘Local businesses open’ on it but everybody is confused [on how to get here]. They have to direct the traffic with the business’ names on it.”

Along with a greater visual guides, businesses like Valvoline and Admiral would like to see clearer detours and openings for their locations. 

“Access to some businesses this way is only through my parking lot,” Blake said in regards to Valvoline. “A detour to access [those] businesses would be nice. I also feel like the detour signage down Grand River is not super clear so there have been a lot of people still driving through the construction site because they missed the detour signs.”

Aljaloov, who has prior experience working at gas stations in other locations navigating construction, shares this sentiment. 

“When there was construction, we left a little spot for the customers to come in,” Alljaloov said. “These people didn’t leave a spot. They blocked everything and we have been like this for three weeks. Sometimes I cannot get in myself.”

The city expects the road work will wrap up before the end of July.

“It’s a big project, and it will benefit the community so much,” Sampson said.