MINNEAPOLIS — Small business owners in Linden Hills are exhausted after lagging construction and a string of burglaries.
The city of Minneapolis and Metro Transit are working on sewer, water main and new bus line construction near 43rd Street and Upton Avenue.
Business owners say they were told the construction would be wrapped mid-summer , but now the deadline has shifted towards sometime this fall. Owners say they are dealing with a 30%-50% financial loss.
“It’s been a challenge, of course. You can’t park nearby, you can’t get through the street. But it’s worth the walk,” Suzie Marty, the owner and curator of Everett and Charlie said.
Marty was hoping to make lemons into lemonade and remodel during the slow burn. But last week, someone broke in while she was away and stole thousands of dollars of merchandise.
“It’s salt in the wound,” Marty said. “Just one more hurdle that we don’t need and it’s hard. It’s exhausting. I’m emotionally and psychologically and financially drained to be honest with you. It’s just too much this summer. Way too much.”