JACKSONVILLE – The city of Jacksonville said that the construction on San Jose Boulevard would be put on hold during the holiday season, but businesses on the street are still feeling the negative effect in sales.
Jim Stevens went through a lot of trouble to find the perfect tree at Trads Nursery.
"We were stopping here and I had to merge back into the left-hand lane the way the barriers are just around the corner," Stevens said.
David Cannady says that it's a common complaint among customers who must cross two lanes and dodge heavy equipment to make it into Trads' lot. He says that it's easy to see how the construction on San Jose Boulevard is killing their Christmas tree business.
"We have a lot of trees left," Cannady said. "By this time last year we would have a third of the number you see out here. This is a small family business, absorbing it is difficult."
Cannady says that Trads had a gentleman's agreement with the contractor who promised the San Jose Boulevard construction would not hurt his business.
"Blame's a harsh word," Cannady said. "The agreement wasn't lived up to."
Just a few blocks down from Trads, a blinking sign announces a no construction zone during the holiday season, but many businesses in this zone say that it's an empty promise, reflected in their holiday sales.
Gingham Goose Gifts is one of those shops.
"We told our customers they were not going to have construction here until after the holidays, yet here they are" Gingham Goose spokeswoman Katherine Grooms said.
The construction is why Grooms says that her Christmas sales, so far, are only half of last year's. So in a final attempt to get customers to brave the barricades, she is offering early holiday discounts.
"All we can do is pray that hopefully they'll get it done quickly," Grooms said.
Those prayers are echoed at Trads.
"Just smile and whoever comes in gets the best deal on trees," Cannady said.
Other retailers do have one advantage over Trads -- as Cannady says, "It's not like Trads can have a sale on trees in January." The need for Christmas trees is now, and like the traffic on San Jose Boulevard, it is slowly passing them by.
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Jim Stevens went through a lot of trouble to find the perfect tree at Trads Nursery.
"We were stopping here and I had to merge back into the left-hand lane the way the barriers are just around the corner," Stevens said.
David Cannady says that it's a common complaint among customers who must cross two lanes and dodge heavy equipment to make it into Trads' lot. He says that it's easy to see how the construction on San Jose Boulevard is killing their Christmas tree business.
"We have a lot of trees left," Cannady said. "By this time last year we would have a third of the number you see out here. This is a small family business, absorbing it is difficult."
Cannady says that Trads had a gentleman's agreement with the contractor who promised the San Jose Boulevard construction would not hurt his business.
"Blame's a harsh word," Cannady said. "The agreement wasn't lived up to."
Just a few blocks down from Trads, a blinking sign announces a no construction zone during the holiday season, but many businesses in this zone say that it's an empty promise, reflected in their holiday sales.
Gingham Goose Gifts is one of those shops.
"We told our customers they were not going to have construction here until after the holidays, yet here they are" Gingham Goose spokeswoman Katherine Grooms said.
The construction is why Grooms says that her Christmas sales, so far, are only half of last year's. So in a final attempt to get customers to brave the barricades, she is offering early holiday discounts.
"All we can do is pray that hopefully they'll get it done quickly," Grooms said.
Those prayers are echoed at Trads.
"Just smile and whoever comes in gets the best deal on trees," Cannady said.
Other retailers do have one advantage over Trads -- as Cannady says, "It's not like Trads can have a sale on trees in January." The need for Christmas trees is now, and like the traffic on San Jose Boulevard, it is slowly passing them by.