Growing Pains along Durham's Ninth Street
DURHAM (WTVD) -- Ninth Street is one of the Bull City's longest standing attractions. But, recent changes to parking to accommodate increasing growth in the area has some business owners worried.
"You can have lunch. You can browse at a bookstore, gift shops -- all of that without getting back in your car," said Tom Campbell, owner of The Regulator Bookshop.
Campbell and other business owners would like potential customers to linger along Ninth Street. They are concerned about what they consider aggressive parking enforcement of free spaces along Ninth Street.
Campbell's Bookstore is across the street from the popular free parking lot once leased by the city. Since June 1, drivers have to pay $1 an hour to park there. Today, it remained mostly empty. Many drivers took advantage of free parking spaces available at the new Harris Teeter grocery store and other new businesses on the opposite side of the street.
Under the watchful eye of a parking attendant, free parking spaces on the street have a two-hour time limit.
"They are being pretty aggressive about it," said Karen Merowchek, a store manager at the Vaguely Reminiscent gift shop.
She says some customers have complained about the parking enforcement.
"That's not the kind of message that helps us as merchants," explained Campbell. "That happens once or twice, and people aren't going to want to come back to this area."
The City of Durham says between June 1 and 15, parking attendants issued written warnings only. Since mid-June, they've written 109 parking citations for Ninth Street, an average of 11 vehicles a day.
With growth, merchants say there are some growing pains. Some report their businesses are on pace with their performance this time last year.
There are major chains and retailers on the west side of the street while longtime local shops occupy the other side.
"You get a really nice mix of old blood and new blood," said Merowchek. "Stores that have been here for over 30 years that sell really quirky merchandise that you just can't find anywhere else, and you've got some new independent retailers that are bringing in some new things. So, it's just a nice little stroll down the street you get to see a whole bunch of things."
Longtime merchants say the verdict is still out on whether the boom along Ninth Street will bode well for their bottom line.
"I don't think we've seen much of an impact from the development across the street. It's still too soon to tell. There's still new businesses going in there," Merowchek added.
