SPOKANE — Drivers looking for a way around the Maple Street Bridge closure won’t have to wait much longer. The City of Spokane says construction on Maple and Walnut will be finished by the end of Thursday.
But for businesses along Ash, the closure has already taken a toll. Hold Your Grounds Espresso, located on the corner of Ash and Boone, says summer construction has become part of running a business in the area. Construction has closed several lanes on Maple and Ash — and the entire Maple Street Bridge.
Owner Jannean Judy says the impact has been significant.
“It has impacted our business by about 20%. It’s horrible and it happens all the time, but that’s life in Spokane,” Judy said.
Judy says regular customers have continued to go out of their way to support the business, but drivers who would typically stop while passing through the area are avoiding the closure altogether.
“We have really loyal customers, but it seems like the people that just drop in, the unusual customers are not here. We just have our loyal customers that will always come through, they’ll go out of their way,” Judy said.
Judy notes that past construction projects have blocked their driveways entirely, so she’s grateful customers can still access the coffee stand during this closure.
Manager Christina Conley says the team is focused on getting through the final stretch.
“Just buckle down and know that it will eventually be over. This one is a little bit quicker than usual. We’ve had whole summers where it was shut down so two weeks is not the best but it’s definitely better than it has been in the past,” Conley said.
The closure is also creating challenges for staff. Some employees commute from Cheney, and the bridge closure has made getting to work significantly more difficult.
With the bridge set to reopen and Hoopfest drawing visitors to downtown Spokane this weekend, Hold Your Grounds is hoping the timing works in their favor.
“Even Friday when people are picking up their packets and all that stuff, it will be nice when we’re back open and running again,” Conley said.
The City of Spokane expects construction to wrap up by the end of Thursday.
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