Local shops rebounding, but not out of the woods

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene toured three downtown shops Tuesday before sitting with business owners to discuss the economic impacts of the bridge closure and find out if the restored bridge had also helped to restore the local economy.

“I think it’s amazing how these communities have bounced back,” Murray, D-Wash., said. “But they were pretty clear to us that we’ve got to focus on transportation infrastructure.”

Although several businesses reported bumps in sales since the temporary bridge span opened, some are still seeking assistance to cover losses during the closure.

Mike Armstrong, head brewer at the Skagit River Brewery, read a statement from owner Eric Lint that detailed a 60 percent drop in sales over Memorial Day Weekend from last year.

“Regular customers avoided the downtown area, Canadian traffic was nonexistent,” the statement said. Armstrong said the business was down some $27,000 in overall sales and had applied for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The loans are a low-interest option for businesses in an area that has been declared an economic disaster area by the SBA.

Available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and private nonprofits, the SBA loans are available for up to $2 million and carry a 4 percent fixed interest rate for up to a 30-year term.

The SBA used 25 statements on the impact of the bridge collapse on local businesses to decide the area was indeed such a disaster area, according to Economic Development Association of Skagit County Executive Director Don Wick.

The tour stopped at Sprout’s Clothing, where owner Amber Torgerson said she had seen an estimated 50 percent drop in sales during the closure. However, she doesn’t plan to apply for an SBA loan.

“I could use it,” Torgerson said. “But I don’t want to open up more debt. We’re trying to raise the money ourselves.”

Eugene Chin, who runs the Quality Inn in Mount Vernon, said his business also was hit hard by the closure.

“The day after the bridge reopened, we saw a 60 percent increase, so the difference was extreme,” Chin said. “But it helped me realize the influence the freeway has.”

Murray said the collapse was a “lesson learned,” and that the state and federal governments need to focus on funding infrastructure.

“We have dozens of costly repairs on our bridges and roads that need to be made across the state,” she said. “We can ignore these problems with our infrastructure to our own peril.”

Reporter Daniel DeMay: 360-416-2192, ddemay@skagitpublishing.com, Twitter: @Ddemay