At least three businesses in the downtown area have closed their doors in recent weeks and others are struggling to make ends meet.
The restaurant did not give an exact reason why, but a note on their front door thanks the guests and employees that have supported them over the years.Across town, the cocktail bar Lower Lounge has also temporarily closed it’s doors.“It’s a surprise to us all that we got the unfortunate news that a couple of our good restaurants downtown are closing,” said Jonathan Avant, president of Montgomery’s Downtown Business Association.
The businesses that are open said it’s because of their loyal customers. They said they are still facing challenges, like getting the supplies they need. “People are starting to feel more safe coming into stores, but at the same time for businesses behind the scenes it’s what’s really causing the issues, so shipping and being able to source products is a problem for most of us,” White said.“You can really count on one hand, maybe, about all of them that have closed in the last year or two,” Avant said.
WSFA 12 News reached out to Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed about the recent closures. Reed said the city is doing everything they can to help the city grow and support local businesses. Reed pointed to pandemic-era loans they were able to provide businesses. He said re-implementing those loans in the post-pandemic era is not out of question.