Right now is prime time for retailers, counting on your dollars. However some business owners in the Old Market said recent parking meter fee increases and extended hours are hampering sales.
The parking meter change started on October 13th. Rates used to be .75-cents, now they are $1.25 per hour. The hours extended from 5p.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Some downtown businesses think the changes negatively impact their bottom line.
"We're only a few days from Christmas and December, it's just not been very good, the traffic just has not been down here," said All About Me Boutique owner Cindy Hoover.
Hoover said sales have plummeted since the new parking changes and this is her worst December in the stores' 5 years in the Old Market. "It is not good compared to any other that I have been down here, we are down from last year".
The goal of the parking fee hike is to increase parking turnover, thus increasing more foot traffic in the area however some just don't see it that way.
"I think it was too much at one time, if we could have eased into it," said Hoover.
However owner of McLovin and member of the Old Market Business Association, Seth McMillan said these parking changes are working. "What we are finding is that there are about 1-2 spaces open each block and actually that's becoming our goal, where someone that wants to run into a store park close by, they don't want to walk more than one block, they have the option and I think we are having a lot of success."
McMillan said the $2 dollar a day parking garages have helped store employees find a place to park, opening up spaces in front of stores.
"Keep that parking open, let customers that want to come down here that don't want to be congested, they don't want to drive around the block for 10 minutes to find spots," said McMillan.
But Hoover said there's too many open spots, once filled by vehicles, "There's plenty of parking spots, I don't know where they are going but there's not the foot traffic at all".
If business keeps at this pace, Hoover said it may be time to find another location, "It's a possibility I really just want to give it a good try to see and I like my location but if you don't have traffic what is the point."
The parking meter rates are for every city street not just the Old Market.
Some stores will actually pay for your parking fees if you purchase items at their stores.
