Paving In Front Of Your Business's Entrance Door? Options For Your Customers And You
If there is an outdoor walkway in front of your business because you are part of a strip mall, there is a good chance that at some point this walkway will need to be repaved. The paving contractor selected for the job is not likely to be chosen by you, unless you actually own your store space. Either way, repaving this walkway presents some unique challenges for the businesses (including yours!) and the customers. Here are some options for you and your customers so that business may continue as usual:
Pave Overnight on a Friday
If your business is closed on Saturdays and Sundays, you could request that your section of walkway be worked on overnight on a Friday. The minute you lock up your doors and head home, the paving contractor can start work on the walk in front of the shop. It would not take more than six hours to finish pulling up the old concrete and replacing it with new. It would have all weekend to dry/cure, and customers might be able to walk on it on Monday.
Your Back Door is the Front Door
A lot of businesses typically do not like using the back door as a front door, but when a project like this comes up, it is an option. If the paving contractor is going to rip up all of the walkway in front of the stores and businesses instead of completing them one section at a time, the back door will have to be your front door for about a week. You can post a sign on the front door alerting customers to this temporary change before it occurs, and then post a sign to tell customers to go to the back entrance when construction begins.
You Close Down Until the Walkway Is Finished
Two weeks of not doing business is not the best option for everyone, but if you can afford it, this option could work for you. Most tax accountants could do this, especially if the paving project were to take place during slower tax periods in the year. If you already planned a two-week vacation, take it during the time that the paving contractor and paving company will be working on the walkway in front. If you cannot afford to take one or two weeks off from your business, consider one of the previous options listed above for you and your customers.